


Walking out of time

by thisisntsmallpotatoes



Series: Could roses bloom again? [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akira is lowkey clueless rn, Also I may add in more relationships...I just don’t know which ones I would want to honestly, I know these characters very well but I don’t when I want to write, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, No beta we die like Maruki’s dreams, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Potentially triggering, Sex, Takes place during third semester, There have been many many drafts it hurts, There’s um, Trans Akechi Goro, Trans Male Character, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vaginal Sex, Writing is scary af, he’s trying I swear, in chapter 4, it’s not like the whole chapter tho it’s only part of it, persona 5 royal spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:55:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 34,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24985684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisisntsmallpotatoes/pseuds/thisisntsmallpotatoes
Summary: 𝑨𝒏 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕...𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦.(Slow updates. Tags will be updated as needed.)(Next part of series called “When I wake up, I see...”)
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Could roses bloom again? [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1832179
Comments: 157
Kudos: 204





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Buckle up we are in for a ride and I’m not sure which direction it’s going yet.
> 
> ...I’m lowkey not satisfied with this chapter so be prepared for potential edits and long updates.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Timeline—
> 
> First half: January 4th, 10 weeks and 5 days
> 
> Second half: January 9th, 11 weeks and 3 days)

If someone had told him a year ago, or even just three months ago, that this was how he, Goro Akechi, was going to be spending his morning sitting in his bathroom with a positive pregnancy test in hand, he would tell them they were fucking crazy. But here he is, sitting on his bathroom floor, pale face and dark bags popping out from under the hastily applied concealer, trying to quell his nausea and pounding heart. In a fit of anger, or maybe just frustration, the detective slams the positive test into the ground, slightly disappointed that it doesn’t snap in half from the force, and pulls the other one from atop the counter and slams it down harder, very satisfied by its slight _crack._ Of course, out of everyone in the whole damn miserable world it had to be _him._ Just _fucking_ typical. Goro bitterly thinks to himself. 

Goro has issues. Many, many issues. A baby, especially a baby that he would give birth to, has no place in his twisted, demented, and fucked up life. A man like him, a man that has killed for revenge; has killed for out of request for some of the scummiest pieces of shit, had no place, absolutely no place, becoming a parent. He belongs in jail. He actually should be in jail, he actually would be in jail if not for this new reality that Maruki created. This just goes to show that even in paradise accidents still exist.

**_Accidents_ **

He feels a pang of emotion in his chest. That’s right, it’s true. This—this _thing_ is an accident. It’s a mistake. He doesn’t want this. No one wants this. No one wants an unplanned child. It’s unwanted, unloved, unneeded. They bring nothing but pain and misfortune. He’s proof of that. Living proof, proof that shouldn’t even exist.

This is his fault, this is all his fault. He was stupid. Stupid. Stupid. So. Fucking. Stupid. They didn’t use a fucking condom. They didn’t use a fucking condom and his dumb fucking ass let him take him raw. He let him fuck him with no protest AND didn’t even bat an eyelash when he came in him. He just soaked it all up, letting his juices fill him up and slosh around inside him. It felt too good, oh way too good feeling loved. Feeling needed. Feeling wanted. 

But once again reality had to kick in. It had to barge in and kick him in the ass. It had to remind him once again that he’s not a man by birth, that the parts he has are not the parts he wants, that he, just like a woman, still bleeds every month—he almost hurls thinking about it—that he is susceptible to certain _consequences_ if too reckless. And it just so happens that in his life he only gets the cruelest of reminders. His stomach churns. “Lucky me,” he whimpers, letting a strangled sob erupt from his throat.

The father of the child—the rather lucky sperm donor—has no reason to want this, especially after everything he has done. Goro was surprised he agreed to even speak to him, not to mention agree to work together. How would he tell him he’s going to be a father? Should he even say anything at all? Surely he would want absolutely nothing to do with this. He has other; much better; much more important, things to do. Plus he—

He has Sumire.

Sumire’s kind. Sumire’s innocent. Sumire’s pretty. Sumire’s sweet. Sumire’s perfect. Sumire’s wanted! Sumire’s everything Goro isn’t! Sumire’s—! Sumire is—!

Sumire is everything that Akira could dream of. She’s who his friends would truly love and accept. She’s...she’s the gender she was born as…

Akira would definitely prefer Sumire. 

Akira would definitely be disgusted by him. He wouldn’t want anything to do with this. Akira would probably deny any involvement. And you know what? Goro wouldn’t blame him! He’s a cursed child having another cursed child. What a great legacy this child will be left with. 

But, a part in the back of his mind argues, does that make that whole night fake? That night...it was lust, it was rough, it was desperate; full of hunger, it was—

It was a long time coming. And even through the rough sharp movements he would never be able to forget the look in Akira’s eyes; full of affection, love, like Goro is the only thing that matters. 

That look…He can’t get it out of his mind. No matter how hard he tries it’s engraved into him. It’s a look that has left him feeling haunted ever since that night, and especially the interrogation room. He couldn’t help himself but wonder, maybe there is a chance?

Without realizing it he finds himself subconsciously stroking his stomach, letting images of a small combination of the two engulf his mind. He tries to push these fantasies from his mind only to find he doesn’t want to let go.

He imagines a small bundle with wild curly hair just like Akira.

He feels a sudden rush of emotion, whether anger or sadness he couldn't tell. He finds himself slamming his fist over the already cracked test, tears pooling from his eyes. His little heart left feels like it’s about to explode. And his mind begins screaming at him— kicking, clawing, and stomping like a small child throwing a temper tantrum.

**_No no NO_ **

**_IT WON’T WORK_ **

**_DON’T FOOL YOURSELF GORO_ **

**_UNWANTED_ **

**_YOU ARE UNWANTED_ **

**_UNWANTED AND CURSED_ **

**_JUST AS UNWANTED AND CURSED AS THIS_ ** **_THING_ ** **_INSIDE YOU_ **

Even as his mind screams he hears a small voice in the back of his mind. The voice whispers in a soft hiss, **_“you want it.”_ ** Does he?

His mind does nothing but contradict itself.

* * *

The day they return to Maruki’s palace comes all too quickly for Goro. As do certain other issues, namely Goro’s binder. His chest has become rather sensitive to touch over the past month, but it has never bothered him _too_ much. Yet today, of all the days for it to be an issue, he feels outright pain from wearing the binder.

  
Normally on days like this he would go with a sports bra and loose shirts and layers, but that’s not exactly an option when he is going into the metaverse where he’ll be walking around in a skin tight suit. Definitely not an option, especially if he doesn’t want Akira or Sumire asking questions, who would definitely. He’s already worried enough about them noticing his slightly bigger stomach, which hopefully he would be able to just play that off as nothing more than bloating if asked, but for him to suddenly one day stop wearing his binder would be outright telling them that something was wrong. Would suggest a different cause to his “bloated” belly. Not to mention...Akira is the only one that knows he is er...that he is trans. He doesn’t think he is ready for anyone else to find out. At least not yet. 

He feels both a mixture of relief and dread when Akira arrives without his teammates. Happy that there’s less people that he will have to hide from, but nervous about his current ability to fight. He knows there’s only so much he will be able to grin and bear. 

And he is right. When an enemy lands a hit to his chest, he can’t help but let out a screech of pain surprising Akira quite a bit. 

The leader stares in utter shock and concern when he hears the cry that comes from Goro, a cry so sharp and full of pain it could shred one's ears. He has never ever, not even once during their fight in Shido’s, heard Goro cry like that or even so much as see a tear in his eyes. 

“Shit,” Goro cries to himself breathless and in tears, panting on the ground, with one hand gripping his chest and the other digging into the ground. He could care less at the moment about appearances as he mutters that word to himself over and over, trying to control his sobs.

Blinking away his shock as best as he can, Akira jumps in front of him. “Stay back, I’ll handle this.”

“Y-you?” He grits his teeth, biting back a pained laugh. Of course, once again _he_ gets to save me, oh he must really enjoy playing hero. He bites his lip, “Tch…We can’t afford to waste time on this shit!” He spits, “Joker, here it comes!” Fuck moving hurts.

“I don’t think so!” He never thought he’d be this happy, or even happy, to hear Ryuji’s voice. He almost broke out in tears once again he’s so relieved.

Thank god Akira won’t be left alone too long to fight by himself. The rest of the Phantom Thieves quickly join the battle to assist their leader.

At the rate this was going they likely wouldn’t have made it, even with their shared wild card ability at hand. It truly was a suicide mission going in just the two of them.

“Crow,” Akira whispered softly coming over to check up on him.

“ _Don’t._ We need to finish this fight, Joker.” Akira looked back at him hesitantly before returning to the fight.

Goro took a few deep breaths before standing back up on his feet, biting down on his lip so hard he tasted blood. He makes a point of avoiding his chest. He doesn’t need any of the others to notice his discomfort. Just a little longer and he can go home.

He throws himself back into battle hacking away at the enemies. It truly is quite stress relieving crushing shadows. All too soon it was over once again, leaving him feeling far more exhausted than he’s ever felt at the end of a battle. 

Taking a few breaths he slowly lets himself fade back into his surroundings, just in time to watch Akira catch Sumire in his arms. He felt a pang of jealousy shoot through him adding to his already irritated mood.

“Dude…What the hell’s Doc doin’ inside a palace!?” Ryuji exclaimed, making Goro question for the thousandth time how he of all people is still somehow alive.

He walks up a bit closer to the thieves, still a few paces behind but just enough to be part of the conversation. “He’s ruling this palace, is what he’s doing,” he says annoyed, resisting the urge to tack on ‘idiot’. He wants to slap them all when the surprise looks flash on their face. Even Makoto didn’t see the obvious! They’ve been doing this for months and they can’t take a hint who’s palace this is when the ruler is standing right in front of them? Yeah he didn’t know who’s palace this was when he first entered but he figured it out instantly as soon as he saw Maruki! God he’s going to have to spell this out for all of them isn’t he? He scratches the side of his head, or well helmet. “Not only that, he's the one who’s generated this whole distorted reality—isn’t that right, Maruki-san?” 

“...All of this was done for your own joy.” Oh he was to take this claws to his face and—

“Our joy?” Yusuke asks.

“That’s right,” Maruki smiles. He’s so naive it’s sickening. “I only wanted to grant your wishes…Each and every one…” 

‘Well you missed me,’ Goro thinks to himself as the back of his mind screams _‘get_ _this kid out of me.’_

“Wait, you what? Whaddya mean!? We never wished for anything like th—“

“Is that really true?” Ah yes I’m going to very much enjoy beating the shit out of him.

“Huh?” 

“…No, never mind.” 

_Oh look he’s trying to be a cryptic little bitch._

“So you all intend to deny the reality I’ve created for you…” 

_I want to go home already what the fuck stop talking. My chest still hurts. I want to take off my binder already._

“If you want to fight me…then so be it. If you plan on changing my heart, that’s fine too.” 

_Where’s my gun..?_

_Wait, focus. Maruki is still monologuing._

_...I want to punch him._

“But before that—I think there’s room for discussion here.”

_No thanks. If it were up to me I would’ve already shot you._

“Also, I believe taking care of Yoshizawa-san is more important than settling this issue right now.”

_Thank god is he finally fucking done? I can barely fucking breath in this thing. Fuck._

_But seriously…?_

“Planning to run again?” Goro askes annoyed. Is he even a real fucking therapist? He seems to have a lot of issues avoiding people.

“We can get back to fighting, if that’s what you really want…but I think you’re rather exhausted at the moment,” Maruki gives the brunet a knowing look that makes his heart just about stop. The others look over at him in curiosity. Maruki holds eye contact with him.

_How? Does he know…? He couldn’t possibly..but!?_

The detective’s eyes widen slightly in shock before returning to normal. He lets out a low grumble. 

“Ngh…” The two snap their eyes away from each other, along with the previous attention on Goro, to the sound of Sumire stirring.

“Yoshizawa-san!” Haru is the first of the group to huddle around Akira and the waking Sumire. Goro stays behind.

There’s a flash and Maruki is gone, leaving them with one last chance to make their choice. February 3rd.

He tries not to look as Akira carries Sumire out. 

He tried not to let the hurt on his face from the tune Akira uses when he tells the team he is helping for now. He can easily brush off these types of things any other time, still can brush off the other thieves asking if he’s here to fight, but now with the circumstance that he has found himself in it hurts to act this way with Akira. For months he has done his best to push him away, with quite little success, but now with him able to act the way he truly is he’s terrified of pushing him away for god. He’s terrified of him leaving and no longer caring. He’s terrified of his true nature, his cruel nature, pushing him towards soft, gentle Sumire. 

He’s stuck. He’s able to be himself. Blunt and honest, for once, but this isn’t truly the side of himself that Akira grew so captivated with, is it?

If they all want to think he’s using them then what’s the point? He can’t convince them otherwise. They don’t trust him, none of them do. 

None…

As Sumire starts to stir once more he takes his leave.

‘I can raise this baby myself.’ He pretends there’s no tears prickling at his eyes.

He doesn’t notice Akira staring after him. He doesn’t notice how Akira wants to scream out to him to make it stop. How he wants to hold him in his arms again. Comfort him. Be there for him. That he is worried.

And that he’s noticed the small bump. 

  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira stops by for a visit because he lowkey highkey convinced himself that Akechi is dying.
> 
> Akechi is just sick and tired.
> 
> (Timeline—
> 
> January 10th, 11 weeks and 4 days)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh writing is sill horrible and I’m still not exactly proud of this chapter but I’ve come to realize that I probably won’t be no matter how many times I rewrite it(which once again has been way too many times). So I kind of took an L with this one but I have a bunch I’m looking forward to doing so it’s okay!
> 
> (Next chapter I’m hoping to get a good amount of time with Sumire in!!)

Akira stares at the doorbell. Should he have come here? 

Last night he couldn’t stop thinking about Goro. He’s been acting strange lately, well anyone would call his behavior strange thinking about it, but Akira honestly would think it would be even stranger for Goro to continue his act after everything they have been through.

It was only recently that Goro started to embrace his true colors like this and let the masks drop, at least most of them, but even before he was able to fully embrace and be his true self Goro would often let his guard down around him. Maybe not quite to this extent but enough to let Akira see him, not the detective prince, just Goro Akechi. It was enough for Akira to truly get to know him and no matter how hard Goro insists he knows that many of their moments together were real.

What Akira has been noticing has been much different. It’s—He’s been… Akira doesn’t know how to describe it. It’s just strange. One moment he is finally truly opening up to everyone, but then the next the door is slammed in their faces.

Why after everything has he started to push himself away again?

The first few days of January were perfect and happy(well as happy as you can be when your cat suddenly turns into a sexy human and your friends forget about you) and Goro actually talked to Akira. But then he just stopped barely even halfway into the week leading up to the 9th. Was it something he did wrong? Did he say something?

Images flash in his head of their latest palace escapade. Goro...When the older boy got hit during the fight and he went to help him he…He noticed something strange, but he’s not really sure what it was and that fact terrifies him. When Goro bent over he noticed a weird lump in his stomach through the skin tight suit. It wasn’t really noticeable when he was walking around but for some reason it was pretty evident when he shifted around like that.

Thinking about it instantly intensifies his worries. He feels a bit of dread pool in his stomach. Many disconcerting possibilities flash in his head, making him feel nauseous.

Is Goro sick? What if he’s dying?! WAIT, THAT BUMP COULDN’T BE A TUMOUR RIGHT?!?!

Gasping in horror Akira dives for the doorbell ringing it a few times, not that he really cares all that much at the moment. He has to get in there and make sure he’s okay! If anything happens to him he—

“Akira, what the fuck?” Goro snaps opening the door. Akira takes in his appearance, gaping, and dives in for a hug. Goro gives out an unintelligible grunt. “W-why are you here?” He mutters, his voice much more mellow than a moment prior where he tried to push him anyway. 

Strange….He just stopped fighting the affection so fast? He just gave up and hugged him back?? He’s even leaning his head on his shoulder???

“I—“ think you have cancer and are dying and now I’m even more scared because you never give up without a real fight, “wanted to see you….You look like absolute shit…”

* * *

From the moment Goro woke up he knew—to put it eloquently—that today was going to fucking suck. His body was aching all over, his stomach specifically where it felt bloated and gross, and he was starting to feel crampy. He laid in bed staring up at the ceiling trying to urge himself to get up—having already given up on sleeping—and concluded that he couldn’t possibly feel worse than in that moment.

But of course he knew already that today was going to fucking suck so he wasn’t all that surprised when his stomach made a disgusting gurgling noise and his nausea kicked in on full blast. 

His eyes shot wide open and he bolted out of bed and runs to the bathroom. He kneels over the toilet, gripping the sides so hard he is sure that his fingers have turned white, just barely in time to release the contents of his stomach. 

He hates this. He hates feeling this horrible constantly with no end in sight. He’s sick of waking up sick every morning. Of being kept up late every night by the aches in his body.

And according to his calculations he’s only just about to finish the first trimester! Hell he’s been out for most of it too!!

He pulls his head up at last taking a gasp of air before his stomach gurgles again and he dives back down.

'Dammit there's nothing even left in my stomach to come up,' he thinks to himself between his tears and now dry heaving.

Okay yeah shitty ass start to the day, but he knows that at least it can’t get any worse than puking his guts out. He lives alone so he won’t have to worry about anyone seeing him in this sorry state. Once his stomach calms down he can—

_ DIIIING _

‘I can commit murder,’ he smiles to himself in a way that he is sure would make a grown man piss himself if he had spoken out loud. He closes his eyes and gives himself a few moments to collect himself before standing up and walking over to the front door.

Looking through the peephole he sighs—it sounds an awful lot like Akira. 

“Of course,” he mutters annoyed. Good thing he didn’t ignore him he didn’t want his stupid ‘third eye’—yeah he doesn’t know what the fuck that is suppose to mean either—helping him find the spare key outside or picking the lock.

Without so much as another thought he throws open the door and snaps at him. Only instead of Akira being angry or defensive(or just however a normal human would respond) he wraps him in a hug.

Goro starts to struggle in his grasp—abruptly stopping when he presses his stomach against him and he suddenly feels a rush of dizziness. He leans his head into his shoulder, still trying to keep his stomach away from him. He takes a deep breath, breathing in the other boy’s scent happily(though he won’t admit it), as the younger boy starts to speak. 

“I wanted to see you,” Akira replies like he’s asking a question, or perhaps there was something else he wanted to say? After a long pause he tacks on, “You look like absolute shit.” Goro just about slaps him in his stupid pretty fucking face.

He pushes away. “You expect me to pretty up for you?”

Akira scratches the back of his head. “I just…I didn’t expect you to…Not care this much.”

“I didn’t expect you to show up at my apartment first thing in the morning.” He combs his fingers through his hair, wincing slightly when his fingers catch on a snarl. Perhaps he should’ve keep him waiting, at least a bit longer.

“It’s past noon,” Akira smiles teasingly—well tries as he fails miserably to cover up his worry. 

Fuck. Did he really sleep in that late? He hasn’t slept in like this in years. Hasn’t been able to for various reasons—work related and personal. He thought that he would be getting even less due to the pregnancy…but maybe not? He’s not sure…He has no idea what he is doing or should be doing. He doesn’t even know for sure how far along he is or when the baby is due. 

Er—anyways he got a lot of sleep—miraculously—but he still feels exhausted. 

He walks away from the door without answering, “Hurry up inside already if you are going to stay.”

Akira smiles.

* * *

So Akira meant to ask Goro about that bump. He really truly did mean to. But things took a different turn…and Goro was currently snoring on his chest, looking absolutely adorable, while the featherman opening played quietly in the background. 

The leader stared lovingly down at the boy, how was he so perfect? Goro stirred slightly and peaked his head up staring blurrily back at him. Akira couldn’t help but compare the boy to a sleepy puppy.

“..kira,” he mumbles, scooting further up his lap so his head is right above his, “kiss.?” He asks in a whisper against his lips.

Akira obliges, capturing his lips in a soft kiss. “That good?” He asks, pulling back. Goro nods his head. His eyes fluttering shut slowly and him forcing them back open. Eventually Goro rests his head in the crook of his neck, his messy hair tickling the underside of his chin. 

Akira is just about to drift off to sleep when he notices the bump on Goro’s belly, it seems that it is sticking out through the shirt. How could he forget about it? It was why he came here after all.

Curiously he moves one of his hands from the small of the detective’s back to his lower abdomen. It feels hard?

This seems to startle Goro—who he honestly thought was asleep—as he shoots up all of a sudden, almost falling off the couch if not for Akira placing his hands on his waist to keep him steady. “What are you doing?!” He growls looking like he’s about to shoot him in the head—even red faced he still manages to look that intimidating. It’s so intimidating he almost misses the tears building up in his eyes, almost.

“I—I’m sorry, I noticed this yesterday and I’ve been curious about it ever since. Are you o—”

“You knew?!” Goro cuts him off hysterically, “You fucking knew and you dared to fucking come here?! Are you here to shame me? Make me feel bad? Or just build up your good guy bullshit even further?”

“Wait, back it up! I don’t know what you are—“

“You make me sick. You and your stupid little marry band of thieves make me sick to my stomach. Sicker to my stomach than I have been I mean. All thanks to you. Is it not?”

“Goro—“

“You think it’s funny don’t you? That you contributed to fucking up the ‘detective prince’s’ life even further.”

“GORO, STOP. I don’t know what you are talking about!” Akira shouted in an attempt to ground him from his hysterical rant. Was it worse than he thought?

Goro blinked slowly. “Y-you don’t know?” He asks rapidly paling. 

Akira blinked back confused. “I don’t? I was just worried about you. Is it really that serious?”

“It…” Goro squeezes his eyes shut, “I—“ His eyes suddenly burst open and he quickly clamps his hands over his mouth. He rises quickly, scrambling from his position on Akira’s lap, and to the bathroom. Akira sits there in shock for a moment before rushing after the brunet.

The brunet’s in tears by the time he’s able to get his stomach to calm down and as soon as he’s sure he’s not going to need the toilet anymore he dives into Akira’s arms, instantly soaking his shirt. Goro’s mumbling something over and over—Akira is barely able to make out the words but it seems that he is apologizing. 

Akira shushes him, stroking his hair gently. He’s trying to put aside his own anxieties as best as he can but it’s terrifying seeing someone as strong and as independent as Goro breakdown. 

He’s not sure how long the two sit there, and he doesn’t particularly care as he would stay here all night if that is what Goro wants, but eventually his crying settles down. 

“Akira?” He eventually speaks.

“Mhm?”

“I…There’s something I need to tell you,” he mumbles into his shirt, “I don’t want this affecting any of our plans with Maruki though. I need you to say it out loud that you will carry through. That you will carry through on our deal no matter what the cost may be. Can you?”

“...I have no intention of backing out anytime soon.”

Goro sighs. “Good enough for now.” He brushes his tangled hair out of his face, trying to return some form of composure. He sits up so he can reach into one of the bathroom drawers. Akira stares at him quizzically as he produces a small object from the drawer.

Is that a thermometer..?

Wait no..!

Goro gives him a light smile that doesn’t really reach his eyes. Akira gasps as it finally hits him.

“I’m pregnant,” the brunet shows him the small—cracked?—device in his hands. It displays a plus sign.

Akira takes the test into his hands, looking back and forth between it and the older boy.

It’s nice to know he’s not dying at least? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....Haha I’m trying to be confident...I mean I think this chapter hits more of my weaker points in writing...but the stuff I’m good at I think are something y’all will enjoy. I have a loooot of drafts. I never delete any of my writing in fact but it’s very helpful for me because if I get stumped or have another idea I wanna look at or explore I can just go back and forth and decide what I like better...which omg I can’t wait.
> 
> So right now Akechi is a bit softer and stuff then I would like him to be. Which you know considering all the stuff he is going through I don’t blame him but I plan to work on making him more like the feral dude in the third semester. 
> 
> Oooh and also I have a bunch of drafts of them with their kiddo! It’s cute(I think haha) and I’m even working on some with the other thieves watching them. One of which is their toddler learning to say “delicious pancakes” because that idea came to me and I died(who taught them to say it and how you will love I swear) So maybe I’ll make another story for like one shots? I’m not sure if I should wait until I’m further in this tho....oh but ig I don’t mind revealing more about the child! 
> 
> But hm maybe here’s what I have to say about them now: Akechi’s almost about 12 weeks now. He found out pretty late because you know...stuff was going on...Anyways the baby’s due date will be July 27th but will end up being early term so born on the 6th.
> 
> Oh god these notes went everywhere I’m sorry....
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I’ll be back with an even better one soon I promise!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did someone say Sumire POV?
> 
> (Timeline—
> 
> January 12th, 11 weeks and 6 days
> 
> Flashbacks: January 2nd, 10 weeks and 3 days)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha I wanted to get this chapter out a few days ago but I got busy...But I like this chapter(right now at least let’s wait and see in a few more hours) and I think that this turned out much better than it would’ve been if I wrote this a few days ago.
> 
> ...Yeah I just spent the last few hours writing this...my other downtime was spent on other chapters and works I’ve been trying to put together.

Sumire has only exchanged pleasantries with Akechi. And well she wouldn’t really say she had become any closer from the trip to the palace with just Akira, Akechi, and herself. But from the little time she has spent together with Akechi and Akira—including the time at the cafe—she can tell how deeply they care for each other. 

The day the trio went Akechi was colder. I mean she realizes he’s still pretty cold, but he was brutal. It wasn’t hard to tell he was in a horrible mood. 

And who has Sumire come to realize he takes these things out on?

Akira.

And well it’s obvious that Akira has come to realize the same by that point as well. So he excused himself during a break in the safe room to go scout ahead. Leaving Akechi and Sumire alone in the safe room.

Or well...she was known as Kasumi then still, huh?

Anyways the brunet had seemed tense and she had asked him if something was wrong. He glowered at her in annoyance. But she didn’t back out.

“Akechi-san are you hurt?” He ignored her, putting his head in his hands. He looked like he was about to collapse. “Please sit down, I insist!” She felt dread crash down in her stomach, with it that hot and cold sensation from adrenaline, telling you that something is very wrong but you don’t know what yet—just that you are about to see what little thing you missed and could’ve prevented if you were more careful. A classic “oh shit” moment.

Akechi started to slowly slide down, still too stubborn to admit something was wrong. “I don’t need help,” he said on shaky breath, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself than her. It’s then that she realizes just how pale he has suddenly grown, just how shaky. She is about to move forward to help him when his legs give out, but she stopped in her steps when he clamped his hand over his mouth and released the contents of his stomach—very little at least— in the middle of the safe room.

She’s shocked. Had he really been hurt this bad that he had been reduced to this? Or was he not feeling well when they started their track through this mysterious palace. She shook her head quickly, quieting her thoughts. She can mull this over later.

She kneeled next to him and helped him take his helmet off—the poor older boy dry heaving and still trying to catch his breath. ‘What is causing this? Was this an aftereffect of one of the ailments he had received earlier? Senpai said that the ailments shouldn’t cause side effects. At least like this. How can I determine what’s wrong?’

That’s when an idea popped into her head.

“Diarahan…” She muttered, taking off her mask and pressing her hands to his midriff. She hasn’t had much practice with her skills yet but the times that she had used this healing skill she has come to notice something—the closer you are to the person you are healing is the most effective(even better if you are able to make some form of contact)and you are also able to feel what is going on inside the body. You are tapping into someone’s life force and reenergizing them. To do that you need to have access to the person’s vitals and be able to search their body for any other potential issues. 

And that’s what she wanted to do right now, determine these issues.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, missing the panicked look on the detective’s face. She quickly finds a heart beat—a steady  _ thump, thump, thump— _ and prepares to move on when she notices something strange. She lets out a gasp and opens her eyes, concentration broken. ‘Oh my god. It can’t be.’ She stares at the boy with large gaping eyes. 

“A-Akechi-san,” she stutters out—should she pretend she didn’t notice? It wouldn’t be too late to back out right? Oh but if his heart is anything to go by he’s…

“Thanks,” he swiftly cuts her off before she could say more, “I’ll be outside.” He shoots out of the room like a bullet. 

“W-wait!” She called, hurrying after him. Opening the door she comes face to face with Akira.

“Oh good, are you all done resting?” Akira asks, with a small smile.

“Mhm,” she nods looking over his shoulder.

“Akechi went up ahead,” he confirms, making her blush, “He usually gets pretty impatient sitting around in the safe room for too long.”

“R-right,” she nods, “Shall we go?”  _ I need to speak to him. _

He avoided her after that. Kept to himself mostly, as he was strangely avoidant towards Akira already—making him seem a bit down as well(why does noticing that make her heart ache?). 

She paused in her steps for a moment, taking in her two companions before her. They sneak looks at each other—when the other isn’t looking—constantly missing the other each time. Akira, his gaze is full of admiration and warmth. Akechi’s gaze was downcast. It was full of many conflicting emotions. It was angry, hopeless, desperate, and sad—all rolled up together with what she can only assume is a deep longing.

Akechi turns around. “Yoshizawa-san are you coming?” He gives her a testing look, as if daring her to address what happened in the safe room earlier out loud.

She gives him a nod, not really trusting her mouth to stay shut. And they continue on with the question still nagging at the back of her mind.

Why did she feel an extra heart beat?  


* * *

Sumire almost forgot about this incident—what with everything that has happened. The question is far from her mind until she joins the Phantom Thieves in the palace.

‘Senpai,’ she takes note in her head, ‘Took Akechi-san off the front lines.’ 

It’s not that she thinks the other members are bad or anything but Akechi is clearly one of their most powerful fighters. Senpai wouldn’t take him off unless there was a very good reason, and even then she is sure that Akechi wouldn’t just stay quiet about it. And he most definitely would NOT stay quiet and accept all this extra dotting from the leader.

Is anyone else also very confused? Concerned? It really can’t just be her!

She allows herself to fall back a bit, towards the back of the party where Akechi is. Why is he always so far away from the rest of them?

She joins Akechi, matching his pace to walk alongside him. Sumire raises a brow and looks him up and down.

‘Did he gain weight?’ She curiously thinks to herself. His stomach seems a bit more rounded out—if that isn’t too strange to say—and now that she is paying enough attention to him she’s noticed that his chest isn’t quite as flat as it usually is. 

Sumire holds back a gasp. “Oh my.” She grabs his wrist and pulls him to a stop, waiting for the other thieves to get far away enough.

“Yoshizawa?” He frowns, his eye twitching.

“There was a heartbeat,” she states, causing Akechi to look at her in confusion.

“T-the last time we were here!”

“Ah right,” Akechi says, letting it dawn on him as his face slightly goes pink. “What about it?” He says in an attempt to play it off coolly.

“You know what I mean...There was an extra heartbeat” Sumire says blushing, “I—excuse me for asking—but are you..?”

Akechi looks away. “Don’t worry about it.”

“I—I am though,” she looks down at the beginnings of the belly—seriously questioning how nobody else has said anything—awkwardly shifting on her feet, in a way mirroring Akechi’s own movements, “Will they be okay?”

“...”

“I—I know that this isn’t really my place at all and well...I’m assuming it’s really not an ideal situation for you but I’m here for you, okay?” She gives a strained smile, “I don’t really know much about these types of things but if there is ever an issue or concern that you have—if there is ever anything you need inside or outside of the palace you are not alone.”

“I...thank you.”

“Of course, this is what friends are for right?” She gives a little laugh. “They are also for beating the crap out of people that knocked up your friends okay?”

Akechi laughs at that one. “I’d love to see that one.”

“I’d happily give you a show then! There’s some new techniques I’ve been wanting to try out.”

“I may take you up on that offer sometime then, but…” he smiles—she hasn’t seen him smile in forever—a genuine smile, “I believe he will end up staying.”

She follows his gaze to the front of the group where Joker is opening a chest.

“Oh.” Why is she actually not surprised?

“Yeah,” he mutters back.

“You got a good one,” she smiles through the pang in her chest.

* * *

Akira was shocked, that much was an understatement when he found out, and Goro was honestly expecting him to leave and never come back again. But instead he hugged him—he’s choosing to tune out the stupid comment he made(idiot thought it was in his head) about him not dying.

After much talk they eventually reached a final verdict—well as final as they can get for now until they get out of this reality—they aren’t going to tell the Phantom Thieves yet and much to Goro’s distress and annoyance he won’t be fighting on the front lines anymore—this new revelation making Akira pretty upset about Goro fighting and putting the baby in direct danger the other day. Some stuff about how “we are just lucky that Maruki’s nice”(which Goro alternatively thinks that they are lucky he’s a pussy). 

They ended up making an appointment with a doctor—Akira asked Takemi for help finding a trusted one after pleading with Goro. So they are supposed to be going for an appointment soon. He thinks maybe he will be able to get more comfortable with the concept before it becomes too obvious to hide and they have to tell the others. Which yeah let’s be honest he’s absolutely terrified for that conversation. He has no idea how the fuck they will even be able to have it. 

Should he come out to them now? Tell them that he’s a trans male? Should they just announce the pregnancy without addressing it? Just combine these two uncomfortable conversations?

Akechi sighs, pushing his head deeper into the crook of Akira’s neck. ‘They don’t even like me,’ he thinks feeling tears spill from his eyes, ‘They will make fun of me. Think I’m even more disgusting than I already am.’

He’s hyperconscious of Akira stroking his hair and planting little kisses all over his face, kissing the tears away.

‘He didn’t even ask what’s wrong,’ Goro thinks, ‘He didn’t even ask. Didn’t even pry. He saw that I was upset and he…’ he starts crying harder.

Why can’t he stop?

“Honey, it’s okay. I’m right here, talk to me.”

“Y-Yoshiza-awa,” he hiccups.

“What about Sumire?” Akira asks, raising his brow in concern. She’s so nice...she wouldn’t do anything to Goro would she?

“S-she knows.”

“Oh...did she take it alright?”

Goro shook his head up and down lightly. “She was so nice I-I didn’t..” He pauses. “I want it to stay this easy. She didn’t question anything further. She went with it without a thought and offered support and I—“ another hiccup, “I’m terrified of what your friends are going to think—of what everyone will think.”

“It’s...this is going to be hard I know. I couldn’t possibly understand what you are going through right now, but I’ll be with you through every step of the way.”

“W-what if—?”

“There’s no what if. I’m here to stay now,” he presses a soft kiss to the corner of the brunet’s mouth, “If not I’m sure Sumire will beat me up.”

Goro cracked a small smile and laughed, eyes still full of tears. ‘She better.’

“Er wait does she know it’s me?” Akira asks nervously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So fun fact today is July 6th right and that’s the day I decided the baby is born. So since I’m following persona 5 taking place in 2016/2017(cause the days match up and stuff) this would be their third birthday!
> 
> Hmmm....maybe I’ll make them make some vine references?? Like this is 2017 that this is taking place in...
> 
> Anywayyys~
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don’t you just hate when you get a dream about that time you frick fracked around with your rival? Goro does.
> 
> Also marshmallows and tea anyone??
> 
> (Timeline—
> 
> First half: Night of January 12th, 11 weeks and 6 days
> 
> Flashback: Night of November 4th, would count as 2 weeks even though that is the conception date
> 
> Second half: January 13th, 12 weeks)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo I guess this got all sex in between but you can easily skip that part if you need to...
> 
> Uuuuh I can’t think of anything else important besides that I’m not really satisfied with how I write the characters yet?
> 
> (EDIT 7/9/20 I fixed up some errors and added in some more of the frick fracking...I didn’t plan to it just happened lol. I’m working on the next chapter and I have some many drifts rn it hurts I don’t know what to do I want to get it out within a few hours but it doesn’t look like I will be able to tonight :(
> 
> But I guess if y’all wanna give me guesses to how you want the appointment and shit to go ig tell me? I mean I have this chapter planned out it’s just about how I wanna write it(we should be getting some Morgana and Futaba in it at least) but I mean guesses are fun right and maybe they would help my motivation??
> 
> Anyways I should hopefully be back soon with chapter 5!)

The rest of the time spent at Maruki’s palace, though small, Goro couldn’t stop thinking. He suddenly felt overwhelmed. Like he was caught at the bottom of a landslide, covered in all his fears and insecurities.

And of course—like always—Akira had to notice something was wrong. As soon as everyone else left, when Sumire gave her last goodbye telling him she would text him later, Akira confronted him. That’s when the dam broke—confusing the hell out of Morgana who doesn’t know what the fuck is going on.

Before he knew it he was back in Leblanc. Morgana excused himself awkwardly, though he didn’t really seem to notice. 

Fuck he is way too emotion. Why the fuck does he have to be so emotional? 

Oh right he’s absolutely fucking confused and this is all getting to be too much for him.

He’s pregnant with Akira’s child. Pregnant with the leader of the Phantom Thieves baby. The man that he tried to kill—thought he killed actually—more than once. He wouldn’t be surprised if his friends absolutely despised him—he’s actually pretty sure they do. The guy's best friend is brutally honest about that fact, though he’s kind of an idiot and probably thinks he’s being subtle. And he wouldn’t be surprised if any of the girl’s had a thing for him either, he’s seen the way some of them look at him...It never fails to make him jealous.

But the truth is Akira isn’t really his. That’s at least what he believes to be true. They aren’t anything official or defined. He knows that if he wasn’t pregnant he wouldn’t be here with him now and that they wouldn’t even so much as talk outside of their agreement. It was a fling. A hookup after a fight and nothing more. They never talked about it further. And Goro didn’t expect to. He had believed that Akira was truly about to die in a few weeks.

When he found out he was alive he expected this to just remain an unspoken thing between them. That it’ll be forgotten about eventually, whether it be by them dying or not. 

So what were they doing here now? What are they? Does he even care? Is it just because this is _his spawn_ and he doesn’t want them getting stuck with a parent like himself? Would he fight for custody? Take the baby away and kick him out once and for all as soon as this is all done?

He’s so confused.

What is he to him?

They exchange only a few words when Goro’s eyes start to feel heavy—the exhaustion from all the tears he has spilt catching up.

Akira asks something but his mind doesn’t process it.

He drifts off to sleep with these questions plaguing his mind, begging for answers he’s not sure if he is able to get.

* * *

November 4th….that was the night it happened.

  
“I definitely wouldn’t lose,” Akira told him smugly. They had returned from the metaverse only a few minutes prior. He just asked him who he thought would win in the future.

Of course he wasn’t surprised to hear this response from him...

’Bastard,’ he recalls thinking to himself.

He holds in his sneer.

“I had a feeling you’d say that,” he said, trying to hide any outward signs of annoyance. More words slip out casually without thinking, making him want to slap himself. “I’m going to be entirely honest with you: I hate you.”  
  


Shit NOT what he meant to say. But he guesses he will just have to go with it.

Akira raised his brow in amusement. Goro frowned, even more irritated. “Your deft handling of your unfortunate circumstances, your uniqueness, your ability to surpass me—all these irritate me.” He paused, then somberly added, “You’re the one person I refuse to lose to.”

“Same here.” Akira steps closer.

Well he wasn’t expecting that. “You really are—No, never mind.” He shakes his head. “I’ll let you have this win today—but next time, I will be victorious.” An idea pops into his head. He smirks. “Let this be my proof.” He takes off his glove throwing it at the younger boy.

He stares at the glove in confusion for a few moments until Goro decides to offer up his explanation. “There’s a tradition in the West to throw one’s glove at their opponent when demanding a dual. Should the opponent accept the glove, the dual is also accepted.”

Akira smiles, pushing the glove into his pocket. “I accept.”

“Make certain that you never forget: I am the one who will defeat you.” 

The black-haired boy chuckled, “Will do.” He steps closer one again, the brunet can feel his breath.

The brunet feels something turn in his stomach. He forces himself to turn away. “Ah, look at the time. Let’s call it a day for now.” Before he can take his first steps Akira reaches out and grabs his wrist.

“Wait,” he asks, a begging look in his eye—Goro shifts nervously, too stubborn to admit that he’s weak for it.

“What?” He asks looking back at him, trying to hide the disdain in his eyes. He already won this fight, what more could he possibly want?

There’s a brief flash of panic in the leader’s eyes, swept away so fast he would’ve missed it if he had blinked. “Want to come to Leblanc?”

“At this hour?” He gives him an unimpressed look.

“You’ve come around later than this before.” Akira points out.

“True but…” he paused trying to think of a plausible reason he couldn’t come, there weren’t any. Tomorrow’s Sunday so they both don’t have school, he’s been taking a break from interviews, and he for once has the day off of work. It’s not like there’s anyone waiting for him at home either. 

Akira looks at him expectantly—and it’s only now that Goro realizes how close they are—still holding firmly, yet gently, onto him.

He really can’t say no can he? He resigns with a sigh, following after Akira to the subway platform. At least he’ll be getting coffee.

Why did he suddenly feel nervous though?  
  


It started off normally like every other time that he had visited—though the atmosphere felt a bit more heated and he couldn’t keep his eyes off of..—then Sojiro left for the night, asking Akira to close up. The cat followed after him and suddenly the heat in the room felt unbearable.

That’s when things took a sharp turn. The atmosphere suddenly became swelteringly hot—almost unbearably so.  
  


He tried to ignore it, he really did.   
  


Goro stared down into the cup until he couldn’t stand the feeling of the other boy’s eyes on him anymore.

“Is there something you want?” He practically snapped in irritation.

“I…” The attic gremlin paused before leaning over the counter in a burst of confidence firmly pressing his lips to the detective’s.

The detective’s eyes widen in shock and he freezes. Akira pulls back when he feels this. “Sorry,” he blushes, as Goro moves his coffee to the side, “I—“

Goro cuts him off pulling him back down into a kiss, pressing himself as close as possible to the other boy with the counter between them.

All too soon they pull back gasping for air. Goro throbbed. He wanted more. He needed more. He wants Akira lips on him now. He wanted Akira—

“Other side. Now.” Goro demands, tugging on his shirt. Akira all but jumps over the counter, showing off his metaverse moves. Goro scuffs. “Show off.”

Akira ignores that comment in favor of capturing his lips once more. This time Goro bits down on the other’s lip, trying to push his tongue into the other’s mouth. Akira happily obliges, tangling their tongues together. 

Akira pushes Akechi’s back against the counter—pulling back from the kiss leaving a trail of saliva hanging between the two—before he dives into the brunet’s neck making him gasp.

Goro feels the heat building in his stomach and wraps a leg around the younger boy—delighted and somewhat terrified in a way, to be honest, to find that he wasn’t the only one turned on.  
  


Akira bites down on his neck, making Goro involuntarily roll into him. Akira lets out a grunt, sounding somewhat surprised, before he grabs on to Goro’s waist and helps him jump up onto his waist.

Goro wraps his legs around the raven haired boy and grinds into him with a moan—rolling his head back to give Akira better access to his neck. 

“F-fuck,” Goro moans, digging his nails into his clothed back, “I want y-you in me. Oh god.” He grinds harder. “Please please,” he begs. 

Akira grins, grinding into Goro making him gasp. “You think you can beat me?”

Before he can say a word Akira slips his hand into his pants.

Goro lets out an indignant squeak when he feels Akira slip his hand under the waistband of his underwear and start thumbing his entrance.

“You feel so wet,” he places Goro on the stool for better entrance. He slips a finger inside eliciting a moan from the older boy. “Are you ready for our rematch?” He whispers in his ear. 

Goro nods his head, not trusting himself to perform coherent words with Akira swirling his fingers around inside of him.

God, he feels so helpless like this. How can he break him down so easily?

Akira smiles impishly, pushing another finger in—making Goro spread his legs wider. He would’ve fallen if not for Akira’s hand on his back. 

Goro rocks his hips into his hand, gasping in pleasure at the feeling. Akira pushes his fingers in deeper—as deep as he can in this odd position—placing a third finger against his entrance while the other too dug for his clit.

”F-fuck Akira,” his hand dug into the arm keeping him steady, “F-faster.” He pushes harder against Akira’s hand to make a point—he loved the feeling of the leader cupping him down there with his fingers inside of him.

Akira hummed and started erotically pumping his fingers. Goro moaned spreading his legs wider, trying to meet the thrusts of his fingers with his own.   
  


All too soon he felt his climax start to build up and came with a deep moan, biting down on Akira’s clothed shoulder to try to muffle it.

Shockwaves of pleasure roll through him and his vision blacks out for a few seconds.   
  


When comes back to he’s vaguely aware of how uncomfortably wet his underwear is, but he hardly cares. He doesn’t feel satisfied yet.

He whines, feeling Akira pull his fingers out, and he tries to chase his fingers forward only to lack relief.

Goro catches Akira’s eye without exchanging so much as a word come to a silent agreement.

Akira helps him up—his legs shaky—a moment later and leads him up the stairs. 

The two barely waste a moment, as soon as they reach the top of the stairs they are tearing each other’s clothes off—leaving hickeys and scratches all over each other.

Akira leads him over to the bed and pushes him down. They line up with each other, not wanting to waste another moment. Cause why would they? One believes the other is about to die while the other knows that the former is about to betray him. If they are destined to be separated, to not truly get a chance at a rematch, then why not now?

Though deep down—though the two may not fully realize it yet—that may not be all they want.

“Are you ready?” Akira asks breathless, and Goro nods his head.

“Hurry up.”

Goro gasps feeling the tip of the head press into him. He squirms, wrapping his legs around the raven-haired boy’s waist, letting him sink into him.

Akira groans feeling Goro’s walls pulse around his. “You feel so good,” he grunts, rocking his hips—making Goro whimper in anticipation.

Goro takes a moment to adjust to the feeling—luckily he’s already loosened up and quite wet so it isn’t that hard—and pushes up and then back down when he feels ready, trying to get him started. 

Akira took the hint pulling up himself and slamming his hips back down just as Goro thrusted up.

  
They ride each other out until they were in an equal state of bliss.

Goro, much to Akira’s distress, is gone the next morning.

Goro had woken up early. The marks of that night still all over him. He felt that he had to get out of there as soon as he had registered what they had done.

He didn’t want to deal with the consequences or any of the after effects. And most definitely not any more of the morning after shame of can control it.

He hesitates before leaving, ‘Does I really want to go?’ He can’t help but think to himself, watching the rise and fall of Akira’s chest.

Then the images of what they had done together popped into his head, making his stomach sink. He should’ve just gone home last night.

* * *

Waking up Goro noticed the bed was cold. He grumbled sitting up—his mood soured even further by the wetness in his boxers—not seeing the boy. He groaned flopping back down onto Akira’s pillow.

‘It smells like him,’ he notes idly. 

  
He hears a creak coming from the stairs, letting Goro know that Akira was back.

He opted to ignore him and get some more sleep. 

Though it turns out that Akira wasn’t thinking the same. He feels Akira sit down on the bed accompanied by the sound of him placing something down on the window sill.

He feels Akira brush his hair aside—exposing his eyes to the morning light. He wrinkles his nose and tries turning away.

“It’s time to get up,” he says lightheartedly, “We have school today, remember?”

Goro groans. “I don’t want to.” He puts his arm over his eyes to block out the light. “I’ll tell them I’m still sick.”

“Goro…”

“No.”

“I made you some tea to go though,” he pouts.

“Tea?” Goro asks sheepishly, peeking up at him from under his arm.

“Mhm!” Akira grins proudly, “I even washed your clothes for you last night!”

“...thank you…” He mutters sitting up, he takes a sip of the tea and an idea pops into his head. “Akira?”

“Mhm?” He responds from his desk where he’s preparing his school bag.

Goro taps his fingers on the lid of the cup, looking away. “Do you have any marshmallows?” He feels his face tint pink.

“Marshmallows?” Akira asks, swinging his bag over his shoulder, “I don’t believe so, why?”

“I just—Nevermind it’s nothing.” He places the cup back on the window sill and gets up. “Where are your boxers? I need a pair,” He asks, moving on from the subject.

Akira walks over to his laundry basket by the stairs and pulls out a pair. “Will this do?”

Goro nods and heads downstairs to change, luckily it still seems to be early enough that Sojiro hasn’t arrived yet. He hurries into the bathroom before that changes.

Goro sighs looking at himself in the mirror, his hair was tossed everywhere. He’d have to get a brush from Akira—which he highly doubts he has thinking about that bird nest he calls his hair.

He pulls down his pants and underwear and pulls up the new pair from Akira. He’s surprised to find that it fits snuggly around his waist, he had thought that he would need to roll them. Brushing that off he continues getting ready, but his progress is quickly halted once more when he pulls up his pants and finds that he is having a bit of trouble buttoning them.

“What the hell?” He fusses trying to get his pants together. “What the fuck.” Finally after a straight minute of struggling he is able to get the button. He hums in victory as Akira knocks on the door to check in on him.  
  


Goro tells him that he’s fine and starts raiding the cabinet for a hairbrush and toothpaste.

  
The toothpaste makes him gag—why does it taste so disgusting?

He glares at his stomach, walking out of the bathroom—might as well blame what you can, right? “I have a feeling you and I are going to have a lot of disagreements.” He says it quietly but he knows Akira heard it when he starts to laugh.

Goro sits down, shooting Akira a glare as well. It looks like he’s all ready and has brought all of their things down.

“Mementos today?” Goro asks, taking a sip of his tea—surprisingly it’s still warm, maybe it’s because it’s in a metal cup?

“Nah not today. We have that appointment today remember?”

“Ah right. _That._ ” He brushes his hand over his stomach, not letting it linger too long.

“Yeah, that.” Akira sits down next to him. “Meet in Shibuya at 4 o’clock?”

“Sounds good,” Goro nods.

“Good. Now come on,” Akira pulls Goro up, “There’s somewhere we need to stop quickly before going to the station.”

  
‘Okay but do I have to come?’ Goro thinks annoyed, wanting to sit and drink his tea in peace.

Before he can protest Akira places the suitcase in his hands and practically drags him—though much more carefully then he has become accustomed to—out the door. 

He’s confused when he takes him to the small grocery store, Akira telling him to wait a minute before heading inside. He shifts around uncomfortably for a few minutes—he felt sure and kind of gross being up so early—until Akira comes back holding something behind his back.

“Sorry about that wait,” Akira smiles derpedly, “It’s not really the season for these but luckily I found them.” He produces a small bag of marshmallows from behind his back. “This is what you wanted, right?”

“Y-yeah,” Goro stutters blushing. “I—it was stupid,” he laughs, “I actually wanna put them in my tea…er but that would be weird wouldn’t it?”

“Haha that’s cute,” Goro wants to slap him across his stupid beautiful face, “Go ahead and try it Goro. It’s your call. Personally I think it sounds kind of good to be honest.”

Does he have to be so fucking accepting?

What. The. Fuck.

He ends up slipping some marshmallows under the lid of his cup while he isn’t looking—just so he doesn’t have to deal with any unwanted comments or teasing.

The two then slip off to the station together as ready as they will ever be to start their day once again.   
  


The two really hope the appointment goes well today. Akira gives his hand a tight squeeze before letting it go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took forever to write this and I took many breaks for various reasons including; my puppy falling asleep on my back and me not wanting to wake her, getting a taco, going to work, wanting marshmallows(which actually wasn’t related to this omfgg I just realized that I was writing about marshmallows while really wanting to make s’mores afdjhdgsj), and me being a lazy fuck and watching avatar while playing bitlife.
> 
> If y’all wanna harass me or talk to me about this just hit me up on [Tumblr](https://thisisnotsmallpotatoes.tumblr.com/) especially if you have any questions or cute little ideas or something it doesn’t matter to me :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s a sonogram ig and ice cream and flaming hot cheetos.
> 
> It’s a light time?
> 
> Also Futabababa and Morgana of course...they show up kind of...With Sojiro!
> 
> (Timeline—
> 
> January 13th, 12 weeks)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter status: Worse than chapter two and killed me as the number of drafts exponentially grew.
> 
> (I mean I tried but I could’ve done better...I likely will edit this but I realized that I will never ever make progress on this chapter cause this is just gonna be a thing that stomps me and I just need to move on for now and write.)
> 
> Also I edited parts of chapter 4 and I’m working on some more parts of chapter 2 to add. Next time I post I will point out if I have gotten around to uploaded those new parts.
> 
> There’s also def errors~

Akira had been late to meeting up in Shibuya. But it wasn’t on purpose or anything! 

It was just that he realized he was in his uniform. A school uniform….

Normally he wouldn’t care about wearing his uniform to a doctor's appointment, but this wasn’t just any old normal one. They were going to get a checkup on the baby—and hopefully get to see it—and confirm how far along Goro is. So he has a feeling that wearing a high school uniform to an appointment such as this would be rather awkward and draw some rather er...unwanted questions and looks—especially if anyone recognizes the Shujin academy uniform from back in the spring when it was all over the news.

Akira definitely would prefer to avoid that situation—and he is sure that Goro would as well, the poor guy already has enough on his plate as it is. 

The two are really hoping to be able to blend in with everyone else there.

So as soon as school got out Akira booked it to the subway platform—barely giving a proper goodbye to Ann and Ryuji.

He made it to Leblanc in record time and ran up to his room—barely greeting Sojiro—before hurrying out once again—Sojiro calling something after him as he ran to the train station to get to Shibuya.

Futaba and Morgana, their presence unnoticed by him, gave each other a “wtf” look.

He barely made it into the train to Shibuya before the doors closed—almost on him—much to his relief because it would’ve taken forever for the next one to come. He’s pretty sure if he did miss it Goro would’ve left without him.

At least it seemed that way when he arrived—you know that he was about to stork off without him.

Goro was angrily munching away on a crepe, much to Akira’s amusement. And it looked like Goro had actually planned ahead and wasn’t in his uniform either.

(Okay did Akira knows he should be serious and focus on the whole getting to the appointment and not being completely late but like...Is it just him or is Goro absolutely adorable? Like even grumbly he looks like a puppy and you just kind of wanna hug him and make him cuddle with you, even when he bites you. Like. A. Puppy.)

Taking notice of the younger boy Goro grumbled something about being late—Akira got slapped because Goro apparently didn’t find his comment “I know that’s why we are here” funny—and the brunet dragged him down the street.

The place wasn’t far and they were able to check in in the nick of time before they would’ve been considered truly devastatingly late, though Goro was still annoyed about how close they cut it.

There was only one other person in the waiting room, a young woman with two young children. The children were pretty young with the older one looking to be around about two while the younger one was cradled in the mother’s arms—perhaps only a few months old.

They were awfully cute. The older child was playing with the toys that they keep in the waiting room as the baby slept peacefully.

Akira smiles.

As terrifying as the idea is(and as unprepared that he feels for it(though he would never admit it out loud)) he is looking forward to having something resembling that—a cute little family, much happier than the one he had grown up in.

And it seems that Goro had noticed the trio as well—his mouth shaped in an “o” and his hand hovering over his lower abdomen.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes—having already finished the paperwork and returned it to the lady up front—until a nurse came and out and called his name.

“Akechi?” She asked, not even sounding phased by the name.

(Thanks Takemi?)

The woman didn’t react either, too busy with her children it seems.

Or perhaps she didn’t care?

The nurse led them into the hall in the opposite direction from the one for the young children—they have some months until they will start having to bring a child there.

The appointment starts off like any other checkup would, the nurse checking his weight and then taking them to a room to check his blood pressure—among a few other things—and ask some questions.

They—mainly the nurse and Goro—talked about changes that may need to be made to make sure that the baby gets proper nutrition—so the two definitely will have to start not living off of microwaveable food and curry respectively—as well as sleeping habits(which Akira has always been concerned about when it came to Goro), whether he has been gaining or losing enough weight(he’s always been pretty skinny Akira has noticed so he definitely seems to be working his way up just fine, but the doctor seems to be awfully concerned about him gaining more), and she seemed rather worried about Goro’s job being too stressful—which he insisted it was fine.

After a good amount of time passed and the nurse deemed that she has received all the information she needs for now she leaves to get the doctor. 

And finally they get to move on to the part he has been looking forward to!

Goro sits back on the examination chair, eyes staring daggers into his belly.

“Goro?”

He blinks staring up at him. “Mhm?” 

“How are you feeling?” He asks, wanting to reach out and hold his hand—but he knows better than to make that move himself.

“I…” He starts trailing off leaving his lips parted as he does so. “I don’t know.”

Akira nods his head in understanding, finishing up their brief discussion as the doctor walks in.

The doctor smears gel over Goro’s stomach—making him wince?—and she proceeds to move the wand over his abdomen putting light pressure on it.

Goro grabs his hand as the image appears on the screen in front of them. It looks like a glob resting on a little bed—the bed being all of his organs much to Goro’s dismay though—but they could easily make out their outline. The head was pretty big—looking around between a third or half the size of its body—and was curved in slightly towards its stomach.

The body twitches startling the two and making Goro squeeze his hand. 

“Aw, looks like somebody has hiccups,” The doctor smiles amused, “It seems that Takemi was correct. It looks to be about 12 weeks along.”

“Ah I see,” Goro blinks, “They are quite squirmy.” He comments noticing the fetus stretch.

“Yeah it seems like you are gonna have one rambunctious baby,” Goro lets out a groan at that while Akira hides his smile, “You may be able to feel them sooner than others at least. Normally people begin to feel the baby move between 14 to 26 weeks—for the first time people usually end up feeling the baby move closer to 20 or after. Generally somewhere between 18 to 22 weeks or further. There are certain factors that determine this though, for example you are more likely to feel the baby earlier if it’s in a good position, this isn’t your first pregnancy, being very aware of the movements within your body, or a very active baby among a few things.”

“I see…” Goro nods his head watching the baby’s small movements. ‘Did it just yawn?’ He thinks idly to himself.

Akira squeezes his hand.

“They’re cute,” Akira whispers into his ear, speaking up for the first time since they started the ultrasound.

The doctor doesn’t pay any mind as she starts to examine his womb, explaining what she is looking for as she goes—Akira asking questions every once in awhile.  


* * *

“What do you think?” Akira asks, holding Goro’s hand as they walk out of the building. His copy of the picture tucked carefully into his coat pocket.

“I think we should get ice cream and those spicy cheetos,” Goro answers, dodging the question. His own picture is tucked inside of his wallet.

“It’s freezing,” Akira points out, raising a brow, “How could you eat ice cream?”

“I don’t care?” Goro says in a false question, “The cheetos should balance it out.”

“That sounds disgusting,” Akira laughs, giving in. “I guess if you really want it that much I suppose we can pick some up on the way back.”

“And where would we be going back to?” Goro questions.

“Huh…” Akira’s steps falter, “That’s a pretty good question.”

“Mhm.” The detective hums, “I suppose I need to figure out where to set everything up.”

“We,” Akira corrects, “You aren’t by yourself.”

“...Right.” Goro looks down, “Why don’t we go to my place then? It’s not too far from here and we won’t have to worry about Morgana or boss listening in.”

“Don’t forget Futaba.”

“She doesn’t seem to hang around long enough to be an issue,” Goro points out.

Akira laughs. “You haven’t noticed the bugs?”

Goro’s eyes widen.  _ Well shit.  _ “To my place then.”

* * *

Futaba twitched in the booth impatiently, it was almost time for Leblanc to close but Akira still hasn’t returned yet! As much as she loves Mona she doesn’t want to spend another night with him badgering her to go to sleep.

Nope. No thanks. Not tonight.

But anywayyys, he’s been gone for sooo long.

She groans, shooting him another text. 

“Where are youuuu?” She says, verbalizing her message.

“You’re getting curry in your hair,” Sojiro comments, “I would prefer that you clean it up rather than wear it if you are not going to eat.”

“Yep, yep!” Futaba says, bouncing up in her seat, jostling Mona awake. She brushes her fingers through the ends of her hair and winces—she can just wash it later right?

She is about to get up to bring her dishes to the sink when her phone buzzes. She almost drops the plate on Mona’s head scrambling to put the dish down to grab her phone.

Futaba groans reading the message.

**_Hey, I’m staying at a friends tonight. Can you take Mona again please?_ **

“Sojiiirooo,” Futaba whines, “I’m about to do it!!”

Sojiro doesn’t even look up and just asks in a tired voice, “What?”

“Hehehe,” Futaba laughs with a devilish smirk on his lips, “You’ll see~”

Mona doesn’t care to stop her.  


* * *

Goro dips the spicy cheeto into the ice cream—ignoring Akira’s wince and the twitch of his fingers resting on his lower abdomen—sitting in his lap leaning against his chest.

“Since when did you like spicy stuff?” Akira asks, crinkling his nose as Goro pops the ice cream-covered cheeto in his mouth.

“I don’t…” Goro mumbles quietly, hoping he doesn’t actually hear. ‘I was kind of craving it….’ He thinks quietly.

Akira laughs, making Goro blush in embarrassment.

“Shut up, we need to talk about this,” he motions to his stomach with one hand, “As much as I enjoy being at Leblanc I know that it wouldn’t work out having me and the baby stay there with you.”

“What about here?” Akira questions.

“I have only one room,” Akechi points out, “It may be okay when they are very little but we will quickly outgrow this place. I much rather prefer having one place settled down so I don’t ever have to deal with a young child while moving.” 

“That’s fair, it would be hard for  _ us  _ trying to move with a small child. But we do have the help of  _ our  _ friends,” Akira makes sure to emphasize certain swords, annoying Goro, “Either way we go someone will be out of commission with the child.”

‘Are they really ‘ _ our’  _ friends?’ The thought floats around in the back of Goro’s mind.

“So? What do you suppose we do?” Goro sticks more cheetos in his mouth.

“We move in together?” Goro gives him a skeptical look. “Come on, it makes the most sense! We are having a baby together for god’s sake! I have plenty of connections. I could easily find us a nice cheap place with enough room for the three of us. I just need that okay to do so.”

Goro thinks for a moment—carefully chewing his food—before resigning with a sigh. “You know how much you are going to owe me after all of this right?”

“Oh I know,” Akira grins.

That smile easily breaks down the last of his resolve. “Fine we can,” he refuses to look at the other boy.

Akira cheers in triumph, hugging him tightly—letting go immediately when Goro starts to whine about him squishing the baby.

The raven-haired boy then pushes Goro out of his lap—making the brunet whine from the sudden shift causing some of the ice cream on his cheeto to fall on his shirt(and also from the sudden loss of the other boy’s touch.)

He pouts watching the other boy walk across the room—saying something about his “first order of business as one of the dads”—and pins his photo on the fridge with a magnet—displaying the sonogram of their baby proudly.

Goro stares at him blankly—hiding his smile—looking up from his now ice cream covered shirt and said in a voice just as blank as his expression, “This new place better have a washer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was some Futaba and Morgana...even Sojiro....not as much as I originally planned. I had a bunch of them written out but I found myself unhappy with how it turned out....Yeah I’ve been working on this all day and I’ve been kind of stuck...there are so many drafts it hurts...and also I didn’t even include the freshman that Akechi scared the shit out of today...soon...
> 
> Might end up getting mixed in with one shots if no mentioned(yes I have one shots for this I’m waiting to post until I’m further in the story and stuff at least)
> 
> Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> Harass me on [Tumblr](https://thisisnotsmallpotatoes.tumblr.com/)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sumire and Goro friendship that atlus was too coward to give us along with...
> 
> A palace fight followed by...
> 
> *drumroll*
> 
> A fight!
> 
> (Timeline—
> 
> January 21st, 13 weeks and 1 day
> 
> Flashback: January 15th, 12 weeks and 2 days)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took me forever to work on but I’m proud how this ended up being longer than all the other chapters I’ve written so far!!
> 
> Only thing is I’m still not really confident in my writing...I think I have a lot of work left to do with it....but I’ll get around to it...
> 
> At least by the other stories I’ll be making for this...
> 
> Which yeah there’s more than just this story in this!! This is kind of a series oops haha. 
> 
> Oh also there may or may not be some grammar issues in this chapter I have missed but I will continue to revise this it I promise!
> 
> Oh and yeah um...I need to get around to finishing up my additions to chapter 2...it might get in the way of writing chapter 7 tho(which is already started).
> 
> I’ll be back again soon tho I promise!!

Goro hadn't realized how exhausting it would be running around the palace. He didn’t really realize that he would need to be accounting for the extra weight—which he is now becoming more aware of—that he is carrying around.

He didn’t really have an issue with the added weight when the group went to Mementos—though navigating his way down to the bottom of the holy grail room wasn’t too fun—due to how they usually stay inside the mona bus unless there is a fight.

  
Inside of the palace that wasn’t the case with them spending all of their time on foot and sneaking around and doing tricks(see Joker) hiding from the enemy. He had already felt sore going up and down from a crouching position. So when they left the counseling rooms and entered the twilight corridor he was exasperated by all the sets of stairs. How the fuck was he going to make it up all these and back down? He can tell you for sure he’s going to be panting like fucking dog by the time they leave.

And you know what?

If these dumbasses don’t figure out what the fuck is up with him—if they are that completely fucking dense—he would be absolutely fucking sure that they are all just fucking brain dead. 

I mean they don’t know that he is...but they should be able to piece something together!!

It’s been a week since his appointment and the baby has most definitely grown—which Akira was definitely excited to notice...Goro has some other mixed feelings still. According to the doctor last week during the visit she said that the baby is starting to rise up more into his abdomen, since apparently his uterus was now the size of a fucking grapefruit and completely filling in his pelvis, because they needed more fucking room. Yeah the little ‘bump’ that Akira had first noticed is definitely more apparent. 

But still only Sumire has commented on it?

I mean it makes sense that Sumire would notice with the way that she takes care of her body and is rather hyper aware of everyone else’s.

But not even one of the smart members noticing or the model? What about Ryuji who is always flapping his mouth? He hasn’t made an off handed comment about his ever growing changes in his body?

It’s not that he wants them to notice or anything really—and he especially doesn’t want anyone commenting on the way his body looks(cause so help him if someone did…) but this was becoming far too obvious of an issue to ignore. But literally nobody paid him any mind as Sumire fell back to walk up the stairs with him.

Maybe they aren’t noticing—or at least saying anything—because they are afraid of me?

He’s not going to lie and pretend he doesn’t notice the way they all avoid him, hell he avoids them too. And even if he wasn’t pregnant he is sure he would be trailing behind the rest of the group. Interacting with them is just..uncomfortable.

The only people he found himself able to actually feel comfortable around was of course Joker and surprisingly Sumire.

He was still a bit iffy about her—though not as badly as before—but he is finding that he is slowly but surely feeling more attached to her, a way not too different from Akira and himself(minus the everpresent sexual tension that eventually exploded between the two, but we don’t need to talk about that right now). The girl had kept true to her promise and texted him to check up on how he’s doing. Which he thought was nice and just a one time thing. But then she kept talking. The range of topics was wide from his health, to how Akira is doing with this, to how Sumire is doing herself, talk about the other Phantom Thieves, and just some light chatter on the side. And she didn’t probe into the topic hanging down over them, didn’t pry or say a word unless mentioned. Which actually didn’t happen until the third day of them speaking.

She had asked him if he would like to go hang out at a cafe—insisting that it would be fun since they hadn’t actually hung out since that one time in July—and Goro would’ve loved to accept...but once again the child loved to disagree with him, much like their other parent—the one that was currently out putzing around somewhere with a friend.

His stomach felt kind of achy and crampy—something the doctor said he might feel with the baby starting to push up into his abdomen and stretch his muscles—accompanied by a headache. Which as you could guess he just _loved._

(Yeah this baby better be fucking adorable if this is still just the beginning of his troubles.)

And he thought that was the end of it.

That is until she showed up at his door with two cups in hand.

He hasn’t been expecting that in the slightest when he opened the door. Goro had thought that Akira had forgotten his key and to be honest was just about to snap at him until he realized that it was Sumire.

Her arrival was definitely a surprise for more reason than one, but he found that it wasn’t an extremely unwelcome one.

She had let herself into the apartment talking about how she ran into Akira. She had mentioned how Goro said he wasn’t feeling well again and how Akira had said he needs to pick up more tea later—cause apparently it’s been helping him—because they just ran out of it.

So Goro’s assuming at some point during that conversation she had decided to come visit him. Though he doesn’t mind now that he knows that Akira was the one to tell her where to find him—though if he tells anyone else without asking he will kill him.

Sumire ended up staying a while. He isn’t sure at what point that it became so easy to talk to her, but it was nice. It could’ve been very awkward—and he’s sure that Sumire was probably just as afraid of that.

A few hours passed but he didn’t realize until the sky was dark and Akira returned. He had some bags in hand. Sumire ran over to help him and Goro tried as well, only to be stopped.

Apparently “you can’t carry anything heavy” according to Akira. Goro rolled his eyes—“since the fuck when can’t I?”—and proceeded to the kitchen to help put away groceries anyways.

Sumire started gushing when she spotted the sonogram that Akira had left pinned to the fridge. “Aww I didn’t know you guys already went to an appointment! Look at how little they are, I could just eat them right up.” And then she asked the fetal question “Do you know if it’s a boy or girl yet?”

Akira happily picked up that question saying how they don’t know but if Goro wants to know he’d be happy to find out.

Which made Goro think. He hadn’t thought about the sex of the baby too much. It hasn’t really been a big thing to him, but perhaps this was one of the things that helped him distance himself from this reality? Like labeling this and being able to refer to the baby’s sex while not staring at it on a screen will suddenly break down the last of his denial of the situation he has found himself in.

A-anyways!

Does he actually care whether it’s a boy or a girl? He doesn’t really care honestly, it doesn’t matter to him. He’s honestly finding that he has no preference towards one or the other—though he definitely thinks one of the two may be a bit harder to deal with than the other in some cases. 

And….

It really doesn’t matter to him right...but he can’t help but feel that it’s going to be—

He is cut out of his thoughts by Sumire sharply tugging him to the side of the platform—where they had stopped halfway up the long set of stairs for a break—narrowly avoiding the swipe of a shadow he hadn’t noticed. 

He wants to kick himself, normally he’s far more alert than this!

Akira, who was much further up at the front of the group, instantly reacted running down the stairs—Futaba following along having noticed its sudden appearance. 

The shadow tries to strike once more as Akira makes it to the bottom and swiftly pushes him and Sumire out of the way—due to the lack of time he had to unmask it.

“Joker!” The other party members shout, running after him(always Akira’s obedient little followers).

The shadow slashes at the leader, making him stumble backwards as it morphs—melting down like boiling hot metal—and reveals a Baal and Alilat. 

‘Not too bad they should be able to handle this with that persona Alice that Akira has been using.’ Goro thinks reassuringly to himself, ‘It’ll all be fine.’ Then Goro looks back at Akira and instantly knows that they are all screwed. Akira is wobbling on his feet trying to stay upright and he looks pale.

The younger boy sways dangerously on his feet and before Goro realizes what he’s doing his feet have already moved of their own accord and he catches Akira before he hits the ground. The smell of metal assaults his nose as he stares down at the slash trailing from his stomach to his chest—the smell makes him feel sick.

The other teammates soon pull Akira from his arms—getting a mistrustful look from a few of them—as those with enough energy left to use healing skills—Morgana and Makoto at the moment—band together to look him over. 

Looking up he winces watching Yusuke cast a Mabufudyne only for the Alilat to drain it. Ann was out of energy to cast more fire spells—one of the Alilat’s weaknesses—along with Ryuji who was just pounding away at the two shadows, one of the shadows being strong against physical attacks while one repelled them, as Sumire and Haru tried chipping at them with their respective skills. The light skills being strong for one while the psychic being nulled for the other.

Yeah things were not looking good. 

Ryuji then catches his eye. “Akechi, stop sitting around and help!” He huffs, dodging one of the Baal’s wind attacks.

_‘Fuck,’_ he feels a rush of panic swell up inside of him, _‘We are so fucking screwed.’_

Sumire looks back at him—her face flashing in a mixture of worry and panic. 

Ann gets knocked down—she’ll be back in a few minutes—when the Alilat hits her weakness. 

It looks like he’s going to need to interfere…Will it be okay to continue using his persona like this though?

“Akechi,” Futaba starts—sounding rather unsure of herself, a strange thing coming from the small girl. “That one,” she points to the Alilat, “is weak against dark. Could you..?” She sounds rather uncertain, but it’s no time to question her.

Goro looks at Akira. He doesn’t quite seem lucid enough yet, still on the ground being tended to by Morgana and Makoto. If he’s fast enough…

He frowns seeing Sumire nearly avoid a hit. It looks like—what Akira always says—it’s “showtime.”

Goro pushes himself off the ground, where he was just sitting on his knees by Akira, and runs off to join the battle.

‘If this is harmful to the baby in the slightest bit I will not hesitate to shoot Maruki the next time I see him.’

He rips off his mask—well helmet visor but that’s not important—in one fluid motions summoning Loki. He easily hits Alilat’s weakness casting eigaon. Unfortunately Baal didn’t have the same weakness, or a weakness for that matter, and so that left them the only option of chipping away at the enemies until they hopefully disappeared—with a little buff using baton pass. And it looked like everything would work out just fine. Until the Baal decided to turn its attention on Goro in the form of a wind attack. 

Wind attacks were strong and luckily don’t leave much damage behind to the person it’s been cast on. They usually are useful when you pair them with a status affect such as burn or confusion.   
  


But...  
  


‘I think I just discovered another critical way to make use of wind attacks,’ Goro thinks to himself falling down to the ground on his knees and holding his hands over his mouth. He feels like he’s about to lose his lunch all over the platform. 

Sumire panics when he takes a hit and runs over to kneel down beside him casting a diarahan.

The other thieves look on in confusion.

“Yo, you alright over there?” Ryuji calls back to him over his shoulder.

Goro nods his head dizzily, taking his hands off his mouth to allow himself to take a few clear breaths in.

Ugh he felt dizzy now, but he had to get back into the fight and end this.

He took a few more moments for himself to null the dizziness a bit more before looking up at Sumire.

“Care to lead me a hand?” He asks, nodding his head towards the two shadows.

A quick look of surprise flashes across her face that is quickly covered with a smile and a tint of excitement. “It would be my pleasure!” She smiles, holding out a hand to help him up.

He accepts it.

A crazed smile breaks out on his face. 

_How dare that_ **_thing_ ** _try to hurt them. He will make_ **_them_ ** _pay._

He barely registers Ryuji, Yusuke, and Haru taking a step back from the look on his face. No he ignores that in favor of **_destroying_** ** _them._** Surprisingly Sumire doesn’t shy away either in favor of attacking the Baal shadow as well.

It seems that the Baal choosing to target him may have pushed Sumire too far—though only because of the child he is carrying.

He’s quite surprised by the viciousness that Sumire is able to show behind her elegant and swift moves. There is a certain danger to them like a dull knife, you have to use more pressure to get the result you would like but if you aren’t careful enough with the amount of pressure you are using you might lose control and get cut.

  
Her moves compliment his own nicely, he thinks. Hers are elegant, short and sweet. While his are sharp, violent, and full of pure unadulterated rage.

They quickly put an end to that Baal—the others staring at Sumire quite confused in her sudden slight shift—and Goro wastes no time once again knocking the Alilat onto the ground for one last final time and calling an all-out-attack—Haru, Yusuke, Ryuji, and Ann(now once again standing) nodding their heads along dumbly following his request.

He allows himself to slump over as soon as the shadow fades away, the adrenaline fading from his body leaving him feeling more sore and exhausted than ever. Which is about the time that Akira comes to once again.

_Great._ He winces vaguely aware of Akira’s eyes burning holes into him. 

“ _Goro,_ ” he challenges in a heavy voice that lets him know that there’s already another fight being sprung upon them.

Goro straightens up and turns around to face the leader—already standing back up after being freshly healed—and meeting him with a glare.

“Yes?” He asks in a sickeningly sweet voice, much like the one he would use on television interviews.

The tension between the two efficiently makes the group shiver. The two pay no mind, their eyes locked, silently daring the other to speak first.

After a few heavy minutes Yusuke attempts to cut through the tension. “If you don’t mind me intruding I believe it’s about time that we bring Akechi back up to the front lines Joker.”

Ryuji—the idiot—decides to cut in now as well. “Yeah! Akechi is kind of dead weight at the back,” well fuck you too, “he’s best up front. He totally saved our asses. He should—“

“No.” Joker cuts in firmly. “He stays in the _back,”_ he bites out.

_Bitch._

“Joker as much as I hate to admit it we need his strength at the front.” Makoto reasons.

“No. My. Answer. Is. No.” Akira emphasizes each word.

“I can carry my own weight, _Joker,”_ Goro glares, “I don’t need you babying me, especially after that foolish stunt.”

Akira raises his voice. “The foolish stunt that saved both of you!” Goro knows he isn’t talking about Sumire and himself and he wants to slap him. 

He can take care of himself. He has been for years both in and outside of the metaverse. How dare he think of him as so weak and fragile that he can’t protect the little unborn life inside of him. He’s stronger than every single one of them for fucks sake! He’s been traveling to the metaverse for years and he’s been far more times by himself than he’s ever been with these stupid Phantom Thieves.

“I can take care of myself, I don’t need you to fucking hold my hand!!” He screams at him in a sudden rush of emotion. 

“And let you end up like me?!” Akira shouts back, motioning to the torn shirt—almost ripped in two—where the shadow slashed into his chest. You could see the redness of the wound still stitching itself back together, even after a diarahan and a bunch of the supplies from Takemi’s. There’s blood soaking the edges of his shirt.

_‘It must’ve been very deep,’_ he thinks but he hardly holds on to that train of thought in his sudden anger.

“I’ve received worse! I could’ve handled it easily without even passing out like you did!!” It’s true he’s handled worse—bullets for example(fuck the reaper you know? Goro wishes he could fuck off sometimes, like flu season. He would be very happy to see the reaper get the flu)—and he’s not sure that the baby would be able to handle it but he’s not thinking rationally right now.

He **_doesn’t_ **want anyone making decisions for him. They decided this together and if Akira’s going to be a dick about it he’ll fucking show him. 

Goro only seems to set Akira off worse—a very shocking sight in which they have all only ever seen when he is enraged(he didn’t accidentally use Loki right?). “You know full well that this,” he motions towards Goro’s abdomen—though it goes by the others without any question, “is different!” He takes a few steps forward, less than an arms length away, “What would you have done if—!” He fades off unable to get himself to finish.

Goro twitches his brow in irritation. “Can you really not fucking say it?” He doesn’t realize the words left his mouth until they have already flown out and into his ears.

Akira stays silent staring at him, his face now showing a mix of uncertainty slowly taking over his anger.

“Fucking say it!!” Goro screams, walking forward pressing his fingers into the gash on his chest—a smile threatening to break out as it makes him wince. “Fucking tell them why I can’t fucking fight if you going to be such a bitch about it!!!!”

Akira pushes Goro off of him, accidentally pushing Goro chest—making him recoil. “I can’t,” Akira says in a steady yet husky voice, teetering on the edge of anger, “You know this.” He bites his lip looking unsure.

“Yeah that’s why you’re fucking pretending there’s nothing going on,” Goro spits, hands hovering over his aching chest(what the fuck Akira you know I’m fucking sore). He turns away from Akira and the other thieves and storms down the stairs.

‘He’s just fucking ashamed of me and he doesn’t want to deal with it.’ He thinks bitterly to himself, scaring every single shadow in his way as he storms off to the previous safe room.

“Joker..?” Morgana asks hesitantly, as they all stare at the angry brunet storming away.

“It’s nothing…” Akira says through gritted, “don’t think about it too much.”

Sumire breathes out through her open mouth watching the retreating boy, feeling a tug to go after him. 

Didn’t Senpai feel that as well?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I give more facts on the characters in here? More background? Little facts about the baby?
> 
> I can give you that I think they might end up like a mini(but not feral) Akechi but they will definitely be getting some fun cute little things from Akira. I’m thinking like the frizzy hair will definitely be a thing because that would be way too cute to pass up.
> 
> There’s also the other things I’m working on involving the kiddo! I have a few things so far such as a pool day at Haru’s with the gang and a watermelon seed incident(it’ll make sense when I get to it I promise but were you guys ever afraid of accidentally eating a watermelon seed when you were little cause you thought it’d grow inside you??(just think on that because I love this one so far and it’s the most complete))
> 
> Anyways thank you for reading!! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!!!
> 
> [Tumblr](https://thisisnotsmallpotatoes.tumblr.com/)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Futaba POV?
> 
> Also Goro is sad still :(
> 
> (Timeline—
> 
> January 21st, 13 weeks and 1 day
> 
> Flashbacks: January 9th, 11 weeks and 3 days/January 13th, 12 weeks)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got tempted to whip out some drafts for this lol it just took me awhile to properly adjust them and add on...
> 
> Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Futaba stared at the detective’s retreating form. She hadn’t expected him to run away, but she also hadn’t expected Akira to react this badly to him fighting. No one did.

Akira had taken Akechi off the front lines a little over a week ago, much to everyone’s wonder. But when asked why he did—why he took perhaps the second most powerful persona user on the team off—Akira had only dodged the question telling them not to worry about. 

Some did choose to forget—for example Ryuji and Morgana—while others didn’t—for example Ann and Yusuke. The latter included Futaba herself. But none of them spoke on it.

She was tempted to speak up. Say something in an offhand fashion and finally address the issue. Because even before Akira took Akechi off the front lines she’s been wanting to.

You see something had caught her attention during the fight with Cendrillon, ever since the team showed up to help Akira and Akechi save Sumire.

You see...she never meant to pry, she truly didn’t, but she had noticed Akechi on the ground—he was gripping his chest and he looked in pain—so she had run an analysis and…

Well she was very confused about it and not sure what to think…but checking his vitals…Well it wasn’t just Akechi’s vitals she had been reading, she had realized quickly.

She had been deeply confused—as you could guess—unsure whether she was reading everything correctly.

So she decided to prod further, focusing in on that subtle reading only to be surprised and deeply shocked by her findings. She let out an inaudible gasp as she picked up another heartbeat—a small, delicate  **_thump thump thump_ ** —located in the boy’s lower abdomen.

‘What the…’ She stares dumbly at him as he speaks with their leader, before Akira turns his back to him and faces the battle once more.

“Futaba?” Akira asked, walking back over to rejoin the group. The redhead snaps her attention away from the boy to the leader. “You all good?” He questioned, tilting his head—his back facing Akechi.

Futaba glanced at the boy over the raven-haired boy’s shoulder—he was trying to stand up—and nodded her head. “Y-yes. Let’s go Joker!” She stuttered. The leader gave her a once over before nodding his head and dashing back into battle.

She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and looked back out of the corner of her eye to see Akechi approaching.

He was breathing heavily and it seemed that he wasn’t able to take in proper breaths to calm himself—she noted—it seemed to be that his chest was restrained in some way preventing air from effectively filling his lungs. He also...he looked like he was about to cry when he took in a sharp breath that puffed his chest…

It clicked.

Futaba’s not an idiot, she can put two and two together. An extra heartbeat and breathing issues. Something is growing in there and he’s wearing a binder. That something is far more likely to be a human—suggested by their vitals and what Akechi’s restricted chest suggests—than something more wild like a parasite. So yeah she hasn’t been in the dark, she just is not sure how to approach the subject. 

She had debated bringing it up with Akira, but then he started pinning Morgana on her and wasn’t coming home as much anymore—a strange thing obviously.

So she did her research…Well not really research she just kind of hopped onto Akira’s chat logs—she used to do that when she got bored cause boy does he talk to some interesting people—and took a look around. 

And she had noticed Akechi at the top and clicked on his—cause why not? She was curious, could you really blame her? She already knew that the guy is pregnant and well it became apparent to her that Akira likely was aware after taking Akechi off the front lines. So she thought why not get some more info on Akechi while she was at it.

That’s when the wheels started turning in her head once more, making her feel like an idiot. 

Akira started dumping Mona on her  _ after  _ taking Akechi off the front lines—because he definitely found out that Akechi is pregnant and he’s been lowkey more protective over him. Which yeah Akira is protective over his friends but with the way he’s been starting to cling onto Akechi suggests there is more to this.

As Futaba popped open the chat it dawned on her just what that more would be, Akira got Akechi pregnant. It was so blatantly obvious she wanted to slap herself.

Of course who else other than Akira would Akechi ever let into his pants?! I mean she of course avoids the brunet like hell but even she knows how Akira has been one of the only people—likely only—people that he has ever been able to open up to and lay himself vulnerable even the slightest bit….Well it seems that Akechi has been getting closer to Sumire lately.

!!

Does this mean Sumire knows?!

She did seem like she was about to reject the idea when she hesitantly asked Akechi to help knock the Alilat down.

…

….

Oh god, she asked a pregnant person to jump into the middle of a shadow fight they were losing. She’s an idiot. An absolute idiot. She should’ve known better but…it just looked like they weren’t going to make it out of this one. 

They were—still are—all extremely low on SP and the people fighting that did have enough to cast a skill—Yusuke, Haru, and Sumire—didn’t have anything that would be effective to use. Usually in this type of situation their leader wouldn’t have any issue with this and change his persona to fit the shadow they were facing and strike them down, but he was out—after taking a hit for Akechi and Sumire—being healed. 

She had actually restrained herself from asking anything of Akechi in hopes that Akira would get up soon, but it didn’t look like that would be happening any time soon as Ann was knocked to the ground by an ice attack.

So she had swallowed her feelings on the matter and asked for help. It would be fine with Akira still on the ground unconscious, right?

Nope, she was wrong.

Akira came to, though a bit out of it, in the middle of Sumire and Akechi’s attack. His shoulders went stiff and his expression changed into something unreadable—though undeniably upset—as he took in the sight. That’s when she knew there was going to be trouble. And this time she was right.

They all felt like they were walking on eggshells now, no one daring to utter a word. Well almost no one.

Sumire breaks that silence with a slap—easily breaking all of the metaphorical eggshells in a way quite opposite of her typical manner. 

Akira holds his cheek—there’s a red mark on it.

Sumire’s angry expression breaks for a few seconds. “S-Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to be so hard! I—!”She cuts herself off in an attempt to take back her serious expression. “Joker-s—“ She pauses for a second cutting off her usual “Senpai” and forces herself to continue like that wasn’t what she was about to say. “Go after him!” She does her best to imitate a commanding voice and pushes him towards the stairs, “You and I both know this isn’t ‘nothing’ s—Joker go now because if I do…” She trails off—seemingly unsure of what would happen if she did.

“But he’s upset…” Akira points out staring off at the exit conflictingly.

“Yeah, you’re right, that’s why you need to go after him,” Sumire shouts exasperated, “Go now.”

Akira blinks before nodding his head slowly. He’s never hesitated before to follow after him. “I’ll be back,” he mutters before turning around and dashing off down the stairs to find the detective.

Once he is fully out of sight—all the way down the stairs—Ryuji speaks up.

“Uh Sumire, what was that ‘bout?” Ryuji bravely asks.

“Oh uh,” Sumire turns around on her heel twiddling with her thumbs nervously avoiding eye contact.

“You know something we don’t, don’t you?” Makoto points out more than questions.

“Well I…” Sumire shifts around.

“Sumire if it affects how the team is able to function we need to know,” Morgana says as seriously as a cat is able to.

“W-well t-this is,” she stutters, “T-they are—“

“S-Sumire,” Futaba cuts her off nervously, saving the girl. “I um….I’ve picked it up, w-while scanning that is,” she admits, “I-is it that?”

Sumire’s eyes widen and her shoulders relax a bit in relief. “Y-yes! It’s that I believe,” she sounds relieved, “I found out on accident…”

“Found out about what?” Morgana looks between the two questioningly, as do the others.

“Uh, it’s not really my place to say honestly,” Sumire says apologetically, “My apologies.” She bows her head. 

Futaba ignores Mona in favor of answers. “But it’s confirmed?” She asks, still feeling rather unsure whether or not she made it to the right conclusion despite all the evidence. 

“Yes,” Sumire nods her head, before adding quietly, “I actually got to see a picture…”

“A picture..?” Ryuji repeats confused, “Can you just tell us what you’re talking about?!”

Futaba opens her mouth to say something but is cut off by a gasp from Ann.

“Oh my god!” Ann blurts out, eyes wide, before promptly slapping her hands over her mouth, her cheeks turning red from the outburst.

* * *

Goro ran into the counselling rooms, tears pricking at his eyes threatening to spill out, determined to leave. To get out of the palace as fast as he can before anyone comes after him—which he highly doubts will happen—and fucking leave, go anywhere away from here so he doesn’t have to deal with this anymore, with them.

But of fucking course his body has to betray him once again before he can even reach one of the elevators. Of fucking course. He was already fucking exhausted from walking up all those stairs and that fight so it didn’t really do anything good things for him storming off besides getting the fuck away from that asshole.

God he hates not having control over his own body… The tears start to fall over and spill out of his eyes. He feels so fucking useless. He runs his hands through his hair, barely even paying mind to the sharp edges of his gloves as it scratches his cheek, and pushes himself up against a wall letting himself slowly slide down.

He doesn’t want this, he doesn’t want any of this shit. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. It was supposed to be just one random night with no consequences, one night where he no longer had to worry about anything. But now there’s a fucking child on its merry fucking way.

And you know what fucking else to top it off? He thought that maybe—just fucking maybe—he wouldn’t be fucking alone in this. 

But he was a fucking fool for thinking for even one second that Akira thought he wasn’t fucking disgusting. That he didn’t mind the baby—was okay with the baby—and he wouldn’t be abandoned for this stupid fucking mistake.

He looked up with blurry eyes and noticed a poster. It made his blood boil as he read the poster. Maruki is a fucking dead man, how fucking dare he put up a fucking posting rubbing his mistakes in his face? Hasn’t he already been reminded enough?!

Goro growls as he yanks the poster from the walls and tears it to shreds with his claws. He’s left feeling rather unsatisfied, the rage still boiling in his stomach, and he destroys another only to look around and see just how many there are.

In frustration he runs for the safe room, choking back another sob and ignoring everything in his path. Only once he slams the door closed does he allow himself to fully let go and along the dam to break in his eyes. 

He starts sobbing uncontrollably as he collapses onto the ground no longer caring. He feels like a child—a big fucking baby—letting himself go like this, but he’s finding that honestly he could care less right now.

Growing up he was never allowed the privilege to act his age. Not for tantrums, not for scrapes, not for hunger—not for anything….

At least after his mother died…

Would he and the child end up being that way too?

Would he not be able to bear things anymore and give up?

Would the child be left alone—orphaned—and hating their father just as much as he does his own?

Is he just cursed to bring the same misfortune onto his child that he had brought his mother?

To pass down the curse…

There’s a knock on the door and a soft murmur from the other side. “Goro?” Of course, it’s Akira. Great. What could he possibly want now?

He buried his head in his legs, scrunched up in a ball—the small bump was kind of making it uncomfortable he realized much to his annoyance.

“Go away,” he mutters in a raspy voice, through the tears—practically parading the fact that he is in tears.

* * *

Sumire perked up seeing Akira approach once again, but frowns lightly as she notices that Goro isn’t with him. “Where is he?” She asks worried.  
  


Akira just nods his head towards the exit, “C’mon we need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maruki has posters for safe sex hanging up.
> 
> Also more on what Akira and Goro talk about next time along with what Akira wants to talk to the Phantom Thieves about!
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> [Tumblr](https://thisisnotsmallpotatoes.tumblr.com/)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira and Goro have a kind of talk....
> 
> Followed by a talk with everyone!
> 
> (Timeline—
> 
> January 21st, 13 weeks and 1 day)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I quite literally almost died writing this chapter, but thanks to [stellargay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellargay/pseuds/stellargay) I was able to complete this chapter—which wouldn’t have been half as good without her help.

The door creaks open despite Goro telling him to go away and he hears the sound of footsteps entering the room—steps fumbling for a moment in hesitation before pushing forward. 

His anxiety—oh damn that’s why he’s having a hard time breathing isn’t it?—soars higher and higher as the younger boy approaches and he tucks tighter into himself, willing himself to disappear.

He hates feeling— _being_ —so vulnerable. 

The leader kneels down in front of him and places his hand on the brunet’s knee—making the tears pour even harder, wracking his body in sobs.

Why the fuck is he even here? 

Can’t he just leave Goro alone?

Hasn’t he already done enough?

Why the fuck would Akira ever come after a sobbing ~~fat~~ mess like him?!

“Goro,” the boy in question murmurs, bringing his other gloved hand up to Goro’s face.

Goro growls, slapping his hand away, tears spilling from his eyes in a new onset of rage. “What do _you_ want?” He barks, looking up at him through the bangs half covering his red rimmed eyes.

“I—“ Akira opens his mouth and stops. He’s not really sure what he wants to say, what he should say. _Sorry he doesn’t want their baby getting hurt? Sorry that he wasn’t about to blab their business in front of everyone when clearly that wasn’t what he wanted—what either of them wanted?_

Yeah, that would most definitely not make this situation any better and probably cause the brunet to storm off once again….He’d probably end up tearing up more than just posters in that case.

_Goro would probably tear apart Maruki._

He hadn’t realized how hard it would be to have a pregnant partner(they are kind of together he thinks?). He honestly wonders if it’s this hard for everyone when it comes to dealing with the guy you accidentally got pregnant. This whole situation was starting to feel more stressful than the life or death situation he had found himself in just two months ago….though he truthfully doesn’t remember much of that night—Sae having suggested that most of the memories had been suppressed or forgotten thanks to the drugs—except little snippets he tries desperately not to remember….if that had only been a small piece of what he had gone through that night…

_Anyways._ He shakes his head, cutting off that train of thought—not wanting to delve down into the painful memories of that night.

This wasn’t just any old case of two teens having a reckless night together. Goro was his rival—still is—and he had been planning to betray them for awhile when they had hooked up and Akira—the love struck idiot that he is—had known that. He had known that this boy—this boy he found himself absolutely head over heels for but couldn’t be with—was planning to kill him.

Akira was an idiot and made bad choices in his desperation that night…but it wasn’t just him that had craved it. Had begged for that touch, the possibility that maybe there just was something deeper between the two. The possibility that maybe they could be together, at least just for that one night.

But here they are now in a tight spot, brought to them by their one night of forgetting. The one night that their actions wouldn’t have to have any consequences. Of course Akira’s luck kicked in once again and that “luck” was resting right under the brunet’s skin.

He…they had to tell everyone soon. Goro’s stomach was getting way too obvious to hide, especially in his skintight suit. But god…they are all going to freak out when they tell them.

The two are close—that much is obvious to the group who have always been quite confused about it—but no one knows just how close they had gotten(of course with the obvious exception of Sumire)…

Akira wants to tell them the truth—he desperately does—but he's not sure how…and well Goro…They haven’t talked much about it, about how they will bring this up to everyone. 

Is he even ready to tell anyone?

He knows that there are certain… _issues_ that his friends have with him. You know trying to kill him and all that jazz….He’s also noticed the way everyone avoids the boy, not talking to him unless they have to, and he’s noticed the same from Goro in response.

Would they even accept this child…? 

They’d have to, right? 

It’s _his_ baby too, they can all figure out how to get along for this right? 

They would want to continue to be part of his life, right? 

…Meet his baby, be part of their family…

He…they have to…they can’t pretend this didn’t happen…he...he loves—

“Well what is it?!” Goro shouts, in the same rage it must’ve taken for him to tear apart the posters currently laying in pieces in the hall.

Akira’s panics, scrambling for what to tell him. “I—“ I love you and I’m sorry, “want to tell them.” He eventually settles on. “I want them to know that we are…” He’s still unable to finish his sentence and he wants to slap himself as Goro’s expression darkens at that.

“ _What?”_ He presses, his voice bitter, fuming, “We are what?” 

Akira’s heart pumps rapidly as he pushes Goro’s bangs aside—Goro’s glare still stubbornly on his face but slowly softening. He can feel Goro shaking—or was that him?—under his fingers. He takes a shaky breath and answers, in a low whisper between just the two of them, “I want them to know we are having a baby.” The words hang heavily in the air between them, making Goro break down harder.

_Fuck, stop being emotional._ His mind screams at him. Goro should feel relieved and happy from this, happy that Akira actually treats the baby as his own—their own. But it only functions in making his fears soar higher—“we are having a baby” repeating on loop over and over in his head. 

_Why does he have to be such a fucking wreck?_

Hearing Akira refer to the child resting within him as theirs just…it was a relief and it will continue to be for him. For him to hear someone else other than himself take responsibility for it was—is—reassuring…Even if the guy in question likely holds some level of shame towards them…He’s treating it as his own and that’s what matters to him.

His stomach flutters and before he’s aware of what he’s doing he smashes their lips together—Goro having roughly pulled Akira by his collar. He’s vaguely aware of the tears still running down his face—now a mixture of relief and happy. Akira leans up against Goro’s legs—still pressed to his chest—making a happy noise as he delves into the kiss deeper, his mask pressing into his skin on his face—Goro having thrown his helmet aside during his ‘small’ tantrum. Goro’s tears fall on it and slowly slide down onto the leader’s cheeks. It only made the two push harder together, Akira slowly pushing his way on top of the brunet pressing down on his legs in an attempt to push them down and out of the way—and perhaps that would’ve been effective if the older boy wasn’t pregnant and didn’t have the beginnings of his baby belly getting uncomfortably squished.

Goro pushes away, much to Akira’s confusion, “You were squishing them…” He pants, trying to recollect himself.

“R-right,” the younger boy blushes, realizing his mistake. He pulls himself off the ground. “W-we can finish this talk later,” he adjusts his gloves nervously before offering a hand to the boy on the ground, “Ready?”

_Did he get heavier?_ Akira silently wonders to himself as he pulls Goro to his feet. 

Akira turns to the door and motions for Goro to come. The older boy hesitates. “About that…”

* * *

“H-hello Sakura-san,” Goro says over the jingle of the bell over the door. He hesitates for the briefest of seconds over the threshold before taking a seat at the bar.

Sojiro raises his brow questioningly, his voice heavy and a bit awkward.. “Akira isn’t here,” he tells him slowly, making Goro shift uncomfortably in his seat.

“He asked me to meet him here,” He does his best to smile, though he’s sure Sojiro’s already noticed something is up—he always does.

“I see,” Sojiro trails off, “…Would you like your usual?”

Yes he would actually love it right now, but if Akira walked in and saw him drinking caffeine…His hand hovers over his stomach before falling into his lap. _I can’t._ He sighs and frowns in resignation. He would rather not start another argument today. His emotional state can’t take it.

“Ah no thank you Sakura-san,” _keep a straight face, keep a straight face_ , “I’m trying to cut down on it.” Sojiro gives him a strange look, clearly not believing him for one second. But one of his favorite things about the older man—Goro recalls as said man turns back to the kitchen—is that he never pries.

_Though Sojiro will be learning what’s up soon enough._

Goro and Akira had spoken further on the subject as they emerged from the palace, and they had come to realize that it would likely be a better idea to tell everyone sooner rather than later—they knew that if they tried keeping it hidden any longer that it would be putting Goro, the baby, and everyone else’s safety more at risk. So the two had agreed on Akira and the others meeting him at Leblanc to talk—with hopefully enough time to relax and collect himself.

But fuck it he can’t fucking relax no matter how hard he tries. He’s pored over several websites about pregnancy and birth over the past few weeks, but none of them have any sort of advice on how to relax before telling people you know about your pregnancy, especially when the pregnancy is accidental, out-of-wedlock, and the baby is your rival’s. Is it even possible? Probably not as he’s about to spill something so huge that it will affect the group’s dynamics and relationships for the rest of their lives. Yeah it’s not fucking simple.

_He doesn’t get to fucking relax._

He’s about to spill something so personal and life changing to people that more likely than not actually hate his fucking guts and want nothing to do with him.

He is about to tell them—he and Akira—that he—Goro fucking Akechi—is having their goody two shoes leader’s baby. You know, the leader of the Phantom Thieves? The guy that he tried to kill after betraying them and then proceeded to try to kill again after he failed the first time—even going as far to turn himself psychotic to do so.

Yeah, this isn’t going to go over well. He can already fucking tell.

The bell over the door chimes and he feels his heart speed up. _Fuck, I’m completely unprepared. What do I even say? Shit, I can’t do this. God, please don’t throw up._ He thinks to himself, turning off his phone—which he had been using as a failed way to distract himself.

He looks up from his phone to see Akira come to stand beside him, opting not to take his usual seat as the others pile into theirs.

They all stare at Akira expectantly—for once waiting for him to speak before talking—who in turn is waiting for Sojiro to leave—he having asked Akira to close up for the night upon seeing the group enter the small cafe. The bell to the door is just a low hum to them as it signals the owner’s official leave for the night.

The raven-haired boy shifts on his feet, pulling on the end of his sleeves—a habit he’s obtained from the metaverse. “So there is something big that I—we—“ he glances down at Goro, his hand coming to rest on Goro’s shoulders in a comforting way. Goro feels some of the tension drain out of his jaw. Akira pauses for a moment before speaking again, “Goro and I need to share with you all.”

The thieves all look at each other, and then back to Akira, their eyes darting back and forth from their leader’s face to the hand on Goro’s shoulder.

Futaba and Haru look the most chilled at the contact, though Futaba seems to relax almost instantly. 

_She knows._ Goro thinks miserably. Futaba constantly has her fingers on the pulse of the team, sometimes almost literally. 

It’s Haru now that is tilting her head. It is so strange to see their leader so flustered and unsure that even Goro finds it is kind of unsettling. “Well, whatever it is, please let us know how we can help.” she says in her soft voice.

Akira nods his head steadily before turning to address Goro, “Do you still have that picture in your wallet?”

Goro nods his head, ignoring the eyes burning into him as he pulls his wallet out. He hadn’t really touched the sonogram since he had tucked it in there a bit over a week ago, but now he is fucking thankful for it.

Pulling the photo out he shakily hands it to Akira, who takes a step forward and places it on the table in front of everyone. The group stares at it for a few moments in confusion, unsure what it is, until it clicks and they watch as everyone’s—with the exception of Ryuji and Morgana—eyes widen.

“What am I lookin’ at?” Ryuji asks, confusion laced in his voice and quite apparent on his face. The brunet sighs, of course Ryuji wouldn’t know what he’s looking at.

“It’s a sonogram,” Goro starts in a low steady voice, preparing himself for the humiliation of saying it out loud—while simultaneously trying to fight the blush creeping up his neck, “I’m pregnant.” 

The room is in a stunned silence—no longer paying any attention to Akira as they stare at him—and he notices a few pairs of eyes drop to his stomach, murmurs of “what” softly accompanying them.

“Huh?!” Ryuji shouts surprised, not quite grasping his head around what he said, “But I thought you were a dude??”

Ann slaps him upside the head, “Ryuji!”

Goro sighs, face palming, "I'm trans you imbecile." Ryuji's jaw slackens, turning into an "O" shape that Goro wants to shove his fist into in a brief second of irritation.

"I hadn't realized that you are trans," Yusuke comments, "Especially not that you are expecting." The blue haired boy takes a moment to look Goro thoroughly from head to stomach, making Goro feel rather uncomfortable-like he was naked. He unconsciously crosses his arms over his stomach, trying to shy away.

"How far along are you?" Yusuke asks, unceremoniously changing the subject, much to his own relief. Of course that only brings up a different type of discomfort.

"He's thirteen weeks," Akira proudly picks up for him, rubbing his thumb in circles on Goro's shoulder, "Baby is starting to show." Goro doesn’t know whether to be relieved or irritated that Akira seems prouder than a peacock about this.

No one speaks for a few moments as the group digests the information. Haru bites her lip with a frown while Futaba nervously plays with Morgana's fur. The other occupants of the room look at the them, unspoken acknowledgment of the major elephant in the room: Akira knocked up their parents' killer. Goro doesn't blame them for being anxious, perhaps even angry.

"Oh!" Makoto gasps in realization. "This," she motions towards Goro, "happened during Sis' palace, didn't it?"

Akira winces. He had really hoped they wouldn't realize, but honestly he was an idiot thinking this could've slipped past the student council President. "Sorry," he utters, wisely leaving out the 'but it was fun' he wanted to tack on.

The group collectively groans, calling him out on how idiocy.

Makoto rests her head in her hands in exasperation pushing them up her face- tugging her skin softly-as her bangs rest on the top of her hands. "You don't sleep with people planning to kill you, especially if you know they are," she groans and turns around towards Goro, pointing finger at him, "And **_you_ **don’t sleep with people you are plotting against!!”

Goro honestly can't dispute that. He knew better at the time. They both did. But strangely, at this moment, he can't really draw enough anger into himself to regret it, which is..alarming, to say the least.

Akira, on the other hand, puts a hand protectively on Goro's shoulder, as if trying to shield him from the derision."True, but it did happen and it is happening and nothing can be done about it now. All that's left to figure out is if you guys are able to accept it."

Silence falls upon the group, each of them pondering Akira's words, as if taking stock of their own emotions.

Understandably, most of them look a little green around the gills, but Haru surprises them all when she daintily folds her hands on the table and gives Goro and Akira a meek smile. "A lot of things have happened that cannot be changed, but considering that Akechi-kun is carrying Akira's baby, I'm willing to brush aside any animosity. After all, this baby is not at fault for the past. I could never forgive myself for shutting you out based on my own agenda. I'm happy for you two."

Goro relaxes minutely, though he is extremely conscious of the fact that forgiving and forgetting is definitely not on the table.

"I gotta confess, I've known for a while." Futaba says abruptly, and every head in the room whips toward her.

"A while? Why didn't you say anything?" Ryuji demands.

Futaba's fingers scratch under Morgana's chin before stilling. "Are you stupid? Something like that isn't my thing to share. Besides-" She puts Morgana on the table and pats his head before pulling herself into her usual fetal stance, fiddling with her glasses. "Would you guys have even believed me?"

Ryuji looks like he has a lot of things he wants to say, judging by the subtle flush creeping up his neck. But to Goro's surprise, he only huffs a sigh and says "I would believe anyone over him."

Akira's eyes narrow minutely, his grip on Goro's shoulder tightening by a degree or two as he answers in measured tones, "Are you saying you can't support this then?"

The atmosphere in the room turns mildly icy, and Ryuji's eyes widen a bit as he shakes his head and waves one arm. "No, I'm just saying Akechi's track record isn't exactly squeaky clean. Not gonna condone what he did, but..." his voice trails off before he sighs again. "But I want babysitting rights, okay man?"

Instantly, the chill in the air subsides as everyone smiles. Ann flips one ponytail over her shoulder, shaking Ryuji's arm. "I get first dibs, Ryuji!"

Akira visibly relaxes, and Goro is surprised to realize that his own arms aren't wrapped so tightly around his midsection any longer, the need to protect the child from pre-imagined judgement fading. His fingertips rest over his stomach lightly, and as Ann and Haru pull out their phones to discuss baby shower ideas, Goro feels a quick sensation under his ribs, a flutter, almost as if someone had popped a popcorn kernel inside his stomach. He gasps audibly, hand going to cradle the bump as his eyes widen.

Was that...the baby?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I said it once, I said it twice, and I’ll say it a thousand more times; this chapter turned my brain to mush.
> 
> Anywayyyys usually people don’t feel the baby move so soon but Goro is pretty aware of his baby(a thing that I’ve heard factors into why some people can feel it earlier) and the baby’s position also factors in in some cases. Of course he won’t be feel it big for awhile or anything it’d be just little small things ever once in awhile for a bit.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading!!
> 
> [Tumblr](https://thisisnotsmallpotatoes.tumblr.com/)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That’s a really nice fondue fountain!
> 
> I give it a 10/10 for the way the chocolate and cheese swirls around ;)
> 
> Akira has a dumb shirt and Goro gets dragged out in public!
> 
> (Timeline about the same as last chapter plus a few days)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha I can never drop this au I’m in too deep. Prolly should’ve mentioned that right after the last chapter I wasn’t gonna be around for two weeks...then I came back with little to no motivation😂
> 
> Give a big thanks to [stellargay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellargay/pseuds/stellargay) ! Without her this chapter would’ve taken much much longer!! She helped me write most of this—scrap that she wrote like the whole second half. Her and I pretty much share this au now lol and co-parent the shuake spawn.

Goro pulls up his grey sweatpants and silently fumes at the snug fit around his waist. _They used to hang off me._ He puffs out his cheeks in annoyance, pulling the loose nightshirt from Akira over his head. He cringes giving the shirt a once over.

_Why the hell would someone want a shirt of a rabbit dabbing?_

He should’ve gone home. He was planning to go but...he has always had a problem saying no to Akira. 

The raven haired leader of the Phantom Thieves had stopped him before the grumpy brunet could even make it so much as halfway to the door. Akira wanted him to stay, asked him to stay. And as much as Goro wanted to go home and bask in his anxieties by himself he found he wanted to stay with Akira tonight, that he didn’t want to be by himself—the exact conditions that got the two into their current predicament.

“Are you finished?” Akira asks from the bottom of the stairs.

Goro huffs over the banister, tugging the shirt down further over his bloated stomach. “As finished as I can be.” he grumbles. 

Morgana comes dashing back up the stairs, pointedly ignoring the fact that Akechi is here, wearing Akira’s clothes. Ugh, that fucking cat. Goro kind of wishes Morgana had fucked off for the night to one of the others’ places, but Mona probably assumed it was his solemn duty to keep an eye on Akira. After all, a lack of supervision is why Goro’s stomach looks like he ate an entire Big Bang Cosmic burger. 

Akira’s head peeks up over the top stair as he comes back up, the floorboards creaking with each movement. “Oh good, I hoped you would find something that fits.”

“Fits” is a stretch, no pun intended. 

“Can you tell me _why_ you felt the need to beg for me to stay, Kurusu?” Goro growls, pulling the shirt down further before flopping onto the decrepit couch near the tv.

Akira's smile fades into a pout. “Kurusu? I thought we were past last names.”

Goro rolls his eyes. “God, petty and the owner of the stupidest shirt in the world? I can’t believe the father of my spawn is a fucking five year old,” he says tugging said stupid shirt back over his stomach where it had started to ride up stretching out the cartoonish letters forming the godawful word ‘DABBIT’.

Akira laughs—quickly recovering like usual—and sits on the other side of the couch. “It's a cute shirt,” The younger boy argues, amused—once again making Goro question why he slept with him—with a lopsided grin, “C’mon it’s funny!”

Goro leans in towards Akira, their faces so close their noses are practically touching. “I think it’s _so_ funny,” the brown haired boy says in a way that sounds so genuine it’s sarcastic—so pretty much him mustering his detective prince persona and giving his signature _‘I hear what you are saying but I think you’re invalid so I’ll just be polite and pretend I’m not silently making fun of you’_ smile, “It fits your clown aesthetic very nicely.”

“You mean joker,” Akira says blinking, unfazed for the most part—being friends, enemies, lovers, etc with Goro Akechi tends to desensitize a person to being insulted. Akira had learned that quickly. “It’s Joker, _Crow_.”

Goro laughs lightly. “Oh I don’t think it is _,”_ The brunet replies, gritting his teeth into a perfect smile, “ _Clown.”_ He makes a point of emphasizing the name.

The smile doesn’t even so much as falter on Akira’s face. He just continues beaming at the other teen. “What does this make you?” Akira is so close Goro can feel his breath on his face.

_A murderer_. The thought fills Goro’s mind involuntarily. He takes a breath to filter the thought from his mind, feeling Akira’s own hit his cheeks. They are so close. He tilts his head slightly and starts to lean in and—

“Okay, okay that’s enough!” Morgana cuts in jumping onto the couch between the two boys. The two push apart fast, their cheeks blazing identical shades of red “God, you two are masochists!” The cock blocking cat says, glaring at them. “I thought you came up to see if he wanted any of the curry you're making,” Mona says with his gaze now turned on Akira, “Which might I remind you is still downstairs _with_ the stove **_on_ **.”

“Oh shit,” Akira jumps up in panic, almost flipping Morgana off the couch in the process. Ignoring the cat’s complaints he hurries down the stairs, pausing briefly only for a moment to say he’ll bring up curry for both of them soon. 

Which left Goro alone with the cat.

_Great…_

He feels a flutter in his stomach. Perhaps the anxieties of today are just catching up with him?

“Akechi…” Morgana starts, his deep blue eyes looking straight into Goro’s fiery red, seemingly unsure how to word what he wanted to say.

Goro sighs, “I’m not going to hurt him.”

“That’s not what I was going to say actually,” Morgana said with a smirk—it’s kind of creepy seeing a cat smile like that. “I was just going to ask…You don’t really hate Joker, do you?”

The detective’s eyes widen. He forgot that Morgana had once asked him this, the time they were in the engine room that is. He never got a chance to answer because—

Goro’s breath hitches and for a moment he feels as if his heart has stopped. 

_He never got a chance because—_

He feels another flutter and he takes a shallow breath in. 

This couldn’t be right because he…

He breathes out in a shaky laugh.

Of course, it’d be this way. Wouldn’t it? He’s Goro Akechi. He doesn’t get a happily ever after. He’s going to disappear after they deal with Maruki, and Akira can move on with his life, unfettered by a cursed child and even more cursed co-parent. 

Morgana cocks his head to the side, blue eyes feeling as if they are piercing to the very core of Goro’s black, shriveled heart. He has no idea how to answer the question without spurring a barrage of follow-up questions. Goro averts his eyes, wishing that the cat wouldn’t ask him such questions.

Thankfully, he is spared having to answer at all. Akira comes to stand on the landing at the foot of the stairs, and calls up to Goro. “Food’s ready!”

Goro stands abruptly, glad to leave off on Morgana’s nosiness and ignore the question as he goes downstairs, the thick scent of homemade curry awaiting him.

* * *

 _It’s strange._ The thought runs through Goro’s mind. _How things are beginning to change._

The brunet hadn’t expected anything to change between himself and the group. He had thought that their relationship would go on as normal—how it always has—tolerating each other enough to work together. _Tolerating each other for Akira’s sake._

So when Ann had expressed being worried about Goro with her “little niece or nephew” all alone in the back he had been genuinely surprised when everyone had agreed. They made him come up front by Akira (much to Akira’s glee and Goro’s annoyance) and rearranged themselves in a fashion to keep them—Goro and the baby—safe. Someone tell him why the fuck they care that much after everything he’s done?

The way they’re coddling him makes him feel sick. He doesn’t deserve any type of positive attention after everything that’s happened. But of course….Goro isn’t an idiot, he knows why they are treating him like this.

The group has just secured the route to Maruki’s treasure; which happened to be very close to where they left off yesterday, and as a result are leaving after barely over an hour in the palace(most of the time spent walking and Akira stubbornly trying to figure out how to reach the last willseed). 

Akira had promised, when the others started complaining loudly about his insistence on finding the last will seed, that he would use the extra money they made fighting the shadows on the way to treat them all to dinner. Very quickly, as if in revenge, the whole group decided on the fancy Wilton buffet. 

He had very little choice but to acquiesce, hoping the next few shadows would be open to negotiation.

Goro simply thought that Akira needed to stop being a pushover and tell those freeloaders off. But that was just him.

He wasn’t going to go to the buffet—he had no interest going to a place full of a bunch of snobby stuck up rich people—but he found that he didn’t get a choice in the matter either when the group had stopped him as he tried to slip off into the subway to go home. Akira sprouted some bullshit about it being ‘mandatory’ and ended up practically dragging him along.

So currently he found himself sitting on a comfy couch pulled up to one of the tables where he was currently witnessing the thieves pig out. He wishes he could just disappear into the couch.

“Aren’t ya gonna eat?” Ryuji asked through a mouthful of food, making Goro scrunch his nose in disgust. 

“No.” He’s been here a few times—when he was working for Shido specifically—and he wasn’t all that eager to go grab food with all the judgemental eyes around the room. The other guests aren’t very welcoming to the occasional group of teenagers that appear, which they made sure to let them know between all the looks and the harsh whispers that follow them around.

He’d rather not have this type of attention on himself, especially when he isn’t too confident in his current ability to keep the small bump hidden. He’d also rather not deal with the attention wearing his winter coat inside would cause. 

It’s not he cares what anyone thinks—he really couldn’t care less about what any of these pricks have to say—but he’s not really all about having people examining or talking about his body. He could ignore it but…it’s not an ideal situation and he’s sure that Akira would only function in making it worse. It would be better to save himself the trouble of having to go through such an…..embarrassing scene.

It’s truly unfortunate that the thieves never take ‘no’ for an answer.

That’s how Goro finds himself in the middle of the buffet throng with Ryuji and Ann. They insist on him getting something to eat, and habitually he gravitates toward the fish and sushi. 

He’s only taken a few steps before Ryuji grabs his arm and yanks him backwards. “Dude, you can’t have raw fish if you’re pregnant!” He almost yells, and Goro wishes he could slug the loudmouth blonde right there in the middle of the crowd. 

“I know that, you idiot.” Goro hisses, wrenching his arm back and stepping away before the temptation to punch Sakamoto in the face grows to be too hard to resist. “Also, you would be wise to keep your voice down. I still have Loki at my disposal.” 

Ryuji steps back and waves his hands. “Shit, dude, I was just trying to help!”

“You can help me by not policing what I do and where I go, for starters.” Goro growls, turning back to the fish and picking up a plate to fork up some fresh, hot salmon onto his plate, along with a steaming bowl of miso soup from the table next to it. “Go away, Sakamoto. I’m not a fragile flower, no matter what the father of my spawn says.”

Ryuji huffs a bit. “You know if anything happened to you, it would hurt Akira a lot, right?” 

Goro is silent, spooning a bit of rice into a bowl before moving away from the table. “You can just tell me that you care for my well-being only for Kurusu’s sake, Sakamoto. I won’t be assed to care.”

“You didn’t see what he was like after— after all that shit that went down. In Shido’s palace.” Ryuji shoves one hand in his pocket as he moves toward a table laden with pork meant to top a bowl of ramen or a beef bowl. “He wouldn’t look any of us in the eyes for days. He barely spoke. It was as if he was on autopilot. But...I caught him crying once, up in the attic. He was holding onto your glove.”

A choked breath catches in Goro’s throat. He hopes Ryuji didn’t hear it. 

“Akira cares about you way more than he lets on, Akechi.” Ryuji says, reaching for a plate. “I can’t bear to see him look the way he did after you beefed it. He’s been happier with you back, so I just want to make sure you’re gonna be okay, and like, yeah you did some fucked-up shit, but I get it, I guess.”

Goro swallows around the lump in his throat, staring down at his plate as his stomach turns unpleasantly. He wasn’t expecting to have a sap session with the biggest loudmouth in Tokyo in the middle of a fancy buffet. 

“Look, I know you don’t think we care, but—“

“There you two are!” Ann cuts the fake blonde off, grabbing onto Ryuji and Goro’s arms tugging them softly in her direction, “I’ve been looking everywhere for you guys, there’s a special at the dessert table!”

Goro reluctantly follows Ann to the dessert table, where two separate fondue fountains are set up with miscellaneous dipping snacks. His brain is still mulling over what Ryuji had said. 

Akira really cares about him? Goro can’t understand how that can be possible. He murdered Akira point-blank. He’s lied and scammed and cheated Akira, leading him around by the nose and then allowing him to catch Goro off-guard for just a moment. And yet, Akira cares about him?

He immediately assumes it is because of the spawn at first, but then his brain backtracks. No, Akira had no idea that he’d knocked Goro up back when they fucked for the first time. 

Then maybe just lust? But that doesn’t make sense either. Akira has been there for him since they met. He’s met all of Goro’s moods and words with grace and ease. He truly is a match for Goro in every way—

Goro stops as Ann and Yusuke reach for plates, cheeks burning as he realizes that...Ryuji must be right. Akira Kurusu cares about him more than a typical friend. He didn’t even back down and abandon Goro when he found out about the pregnancy. 

_Like Shido did with his mom._

Warmth blooms in his chest at the realization, and he glances back at the table the thieves have occupied, watching as Akira laughs at something Haru says before he looks up, meeting Goro’s eyes as if Goro had called his name through the noisy dining hall. Their eyes meet and hold as Akira grins that stupid, dopey smile that could light up Tokyo tenfold. Goro feels a smile tugging on the corners of his lips, and he averts his eyes before he can embarrass himself. 

Unfortunately that brings his attention back to the trio of idiots at the dessert bar. Kitagawa has taken an entire plate and covered half of it with chocolate before moving to cover the other half in cheese. He strategically places pretzel sticks and crackers across the plate, ignoring Ann’s protests that Yusuke is taking too long. 

Goro tries to step away as Ann shoves a pretzel stick into the mess on Yusuke’s plate, but he accidentally bumps into another patron. Apologizing amidst the man’s disgruntled muttering, Goro finds himself far too close to Ann and Yusuke, and that puts his nose in the danger zone for the cacophony of smells on Yusuke’s plate.

Cheese and chocolate do _not_ mix together very well, and that fact makes itself known when Goro inhales sharply and then feels his stomach lurch in a familiar, unpleasant way.

He gulps, nausea building as he feels a burning sensation slowly creep up his chest, oozing like boiling lava into his throat.. 

_Oh god._

“Akechi-kun?” Ann’s voice sounds like he’s hearing it from under a waterfall as she tilts her head in question, holding her own plate of chocolate and cheese, only slightly less sloppy than Yusuke’s but no less repulsive. “You okay?”

Goro’s eyes wheel about wildly, looking for the nearest trash can, and is conscious of the fact that he has to shove his full plate and bowl _somewhere_ , but in his panic, he can’t think straight. He just shoves them at Ryuji, who stupidly drops his own plate to take Goro’s, and then all-out _sprints_ across the room, eyes focused on the restroom sign. 

Behind him, Goro can distantly hear Yusuke say “Hm….what’s this switch do?” 

“Wait Yusuke don’t—!”

* * *

Akira had been laughing with Haru and Futaba about a meme Futaba had shown them on her phone when he felt a pair of eyes staring at him. He looks up, the urge as strong as if he was being pulled toward the sensation, and met Goro’s eyes.

Goro is looking at him with rose-dusted cheeks and look of wonder in his eyes, deep yet unfathomable. Akira feels his heart flip-flop in his chest, and the sensation makes him smile involuntarily. A giddy feeling sweeps over him as he watches Goro’s lips twitch. Goro turns away, but Akira still feels that magnetic draw towards him.

Unfortunately, the fleeting moment of giddiness is interrupted by Goro’s face going nearly white as he stumbles into Ann and Yusuke, and then practically shoving his dishes at Ryuji, he bolts. Akira is confused until he sees Goro stumble into the men’s bathroom.

Immediately he is on his feet, rushing across the room and pushing open the door. Immediately the sound of violent retching floods his ears, and he winces. Tiptoeing toward the open stall, he watches Goro throw up whatever he’d had in his stomach from earlier. Despite feeling vaguely nauseous himself at the sound and smell, Akira does his duty. He crouches behind Goro, rubbing his back ruefully as Goro coughs whatever was left in his throat into the toilet. 

“You good?” He asks softly, watching as Goro leans against the porcelain, sweat beaded on his brow. His color hasn’t fully returned either, and Akira doesn’t make any moves to help him up just yet. 

“Go away.” Goro mutters, hair falling over his eyes and sticking to his forehead.

Akira leans his head against Goro’s shoulder, pressing the slightest kiss to the fabric bunched up there. “I’m sorry. I wish you had told me you weren’t feeling well. I wouldn’t have made you come with us.”

Goro spits into the toilet again before fumbling to tear a piece of toilet paper to wipe his mouth. “I felt fine until those idiot friends of yours decided that the best way to make me suffer was to smell their disgusting food creations.”

Ah. Pregnancy sickness then. Akira feels doubly responsible now. He grimaces and presses a kiss to Goro’s sweaty neck. “I guess I’m extra sorry then.” He says, trying to lighten the mood. “I guess that’s my fault.”

“You bet your shit it is.” The brunet says savagely, groaning before pushing Akira away so he can stand up. He goes to the sink and cups his hands under the cold water, trying to rinse his mouth. “God, I feel disgusting.” 

“Let me take you home.” Akira says, moving to Goro’s side with a paper towel ready to hand off to him. “I’ll make you something light to eat. The others won’t care.”

Goro can’t deny that sounds nice, especially on the heels of his conversation with Sakamoto earlier. But as he wipes his mouth and then rinses again, a gnawing, empty feeling fills up the spaces in his chest. What is the point of entertaining Akira’s foolish ideas of affection when they both know that Goro’s days are numbered?

Once they defeat Maruki, Goro will go back to the void, and Akira can move on with his life. He doesn’t know why he’s made such a huge deal out of this pregnancy anyways. It’s all going to end in a few days, no matter what. A sinking feeling pits within him, and he has to distract himself by swishing his mouth one more time to ignore the roiling sensation in his stomach, one completely separate from the little alien being resting underneath his heavy heart.

* * *

When Goro and Akira come back to the dining room, they are met with a rather chaotic sight.

Chocolate. _Everywhere._

Covering Morgana head to bean toes. Splattered all over Ann, Ryuji, and half a dozen customers, who are all glaring at the epicenter of the catastrophe: one Yusuke Kitagawa. Yusuke is absolutely plastered with chocolate. 

Goro is too afraid to ask. He tugs on Akira’s hand, pulling him toward the exit. “Let’s get out of here before they throw us out.” 

They head out into the cold January evening, bundling up on the way out. Goro huddles close to Akira for warmth as they head to the train station, hand in hand.

Goro knows the imminent future, but tonight, just for tonight, he chooses to be a little bit selfish. 

He doesn’t let go of Akira’s hand for even a second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry this took so long I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I’ll be back soon hopefully with chapter 10. Y’all are gonna love this shit show rolling in!!!
> 
> Of course I recently just started school again and finally got to go back to my job so I have to be honest and tell you all this may interfere a bit, but just no I am NOT abandoning this au!! I have so so much planned for this all this is still only just the beginning. Walking out of Time is actually almost over BUT THIS IS A SERIES and will pick up after this finishes under a different story. I’m just spacing these out since the focus will change and become different than the little preview. 
> 
> Hahah this au is literally rotting my brain. This may be the first time I’ve updated this since July but this au is all I think about constantly tbh and I literally scream about it all the time with my good pal [stellargay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellargay/pseuds/stellargay) who as I mentioned at the beginning co-wrote this chapter with me.
> 
> ALSO if you wanna learn more about the spawn I’m more than happy to talk about her. There been a name picked out for a very very long time like around about the time I first started posting. This au I want to stress as one for people to just have fun with and explore with me. I love these little gremlins(er yeah they have a second child later....but like only one rn) so much and stellar actually made pictures of them!
> 
> If you are interested in seeing I reblogged them on my Twitter! Come harass me and gush about them ig? I’ll prolly start ranting more about this on twitter, at least I wanna but I’m shy😂 
> 
> Haha sorry I’m extremely talkative.
> 
> Once again thank you for reading!!
> 
> [Twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/trivialpotato22)  
> [Tumblr](https://thisisnotsmallpotatoes.tumblr.com/)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> February 2nd...
> 
> (14 weeks and 6 days)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait I’ve been pretty busy lately! I am not abandoning this au so if you are interested in any updates or just anything related to this au I’m general I have my Twitter linked at the bottom.
> 
> And once again [stellargay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellargay/pseuds/stellargay) helped with this chapter.
> 
> Anyways for the Americans out there I know this chapter is kind of angsty but consider this update a little pick-me-up for a week that is going to be complete shit. Also if you haven’t voted yet please for the love of god go vote.

Time had slipped by them before they knew it, before Goro knew it. It’s been almost a full month since he found out about the pregnancy, but truth be told...he’s not sure how long he will be around. 

The little spawn has definitely grown quite a bit since then, from being a barely noticeable bump in his lower stomach to having rounded out his stomach as a whole. The gremlin is rapidly approaching the point of no return: the point where he will no longer be able to conceal it from the rest of the world's prying eyes. 

There's only so long that the brunet would be able to hide it. He knew this from the start, that his heavy winter coat wouldn’t always work. Goro knows at some point his belly would have grown to the size of a basketball. And he knows winter doesn’t last forever and he would have been forced to shed the coat and greet the spring—the season of new beginnings, the season of birth.

He—

Goro isn’t sure if he will make it to spring. If  _ they _ will make it there. There’s little to no confidence within him that the baby will ever have the chance to grow that big, and have a chance at life.

A curse is all he’s ever been to the unfortunate people around him, maybe he’s saving the world from another? Maybe this was something that was truly never meant to be, an unanticipated hiccup in the universe's plans—one that Goro and Akira were never meant to learn about or have the chance to grieve.

Winter is a harsh season full of nothing except pain—of mourning, death, a feeling of detachment. The end of life as he knows it.. It’s a fitting time for Goro to finally disappear into nothingness. To be left alone once and for all to rest…though with the direction his life had taken him he isn’t exactly expecting to go to a place like heaven.

Maybe that’s where the spawn would go…heaven. He wouldn’t be there with them but maybe…maybe his mom would watch over them for him?

Goro doesn’t really think he believes in heaven, but still, he likes to think she would.

He’s already resigned himself to his fate. He rarely ever gets his way, he’s used to it. 

His heart still aches, screaming at him that he doesn’t want this and that maybe—just maybe—that he wants to stick around longer.

He doesn’t deserve Akira after all the pain he’s caused him. Pain that he continuously piles on Akira’s shoulders. It’s cruel of Goro, and he knows it, to allow himself to be so close. To continuously hang over Akira what he could have, what he is yet to know that he will lose. And then on top of that demand that he sacrifice what they could’ve had, to sacrifice their baby? The little life that Goro is currently acting as an incubator for that Akira has grown so very attached to within the past month? 

He knows he can’t just disappear without saying anything to Akira though, that would be a whole other level of cruelty, even for a person like Goro. The brunet is sure that the younger teen likely knows deep down what possible fate may be awaiting him, but he doesn’t deserve a goodbye like that.

The day had finally arrived: February 2nd. The day that they were supposed to deliver the calling card. The whole day he spent in a never-ending state of uneasiness waiting for word on Maruki. This isn’t their true reality and he knows he has to keep Akira from averting his eyes to the truth. Goro has already been selfish enough with him, though Akira would contest that if Goro ever voiced it. 

Close to sunset, after a long and torturous day hiding alone in his apartment, Goro hears his phone ping, and sure enough there is a message from Akira. 

**Akira:** _ dr maruki just called. He said he wants to talk. He’s coming to Leblanc.   
  
_

**Goro:** _ Right.  _ _  
_ _  
_ **Goro:** _ Please don’t forget about our deal. You know we don’t belong in this reality. _ _  
_ _  
_ **Goro:** _ Don’t let his pretty words and promises tempt you. You know what we have to do. _

There is an agonizing stretch of time between his text and Akira’s next one, the speech bubble in their chat moving for what feels like hours. 

**Akira:** _ right.  _

After nearly ten minutes of watching Akira go back and forth typing, all he can say is “right”? The brunet grumbles in annoyance scanning the message. Goro likes to believe that he knows Akira well enough by now to know that everything isn’t “right.” Especially considering that there is no way that Akira would be able to accept a reality knowing—

Wait. Akira doesn’t know.

The low hum of the ever-present nausea increases tenfold, weighing heavily in Goro’s stomach like a tombstone and making him double over, squeezing his eyes shut. He doesn’t know whether he wants to laugh, cry, or just release the contents of his stomach all over his living room floor. Of course, with how things always are he finds he doesn’t even get to make such a foolish choice like that for himself as a sob unceremoniously wracks his body.

_ Failure. Fuck up. Mistake. _ The detective’s — is he even one anymore? — mind repeats over and over, rapidly rising from an almost delicate whisper to a piercing scream within his skull.

Why did Akira ever have to come over that night? If Akira had just minded his own business for once in his damn life Goro could have hidden the truth. He could have kept the younger boy from ever having to find out about the result of their dumb hookup. If Goro had kept a better distance Akira would have no reason now to want to accept this reality.

Maruki is going to tell Akira. He knows very well what path Maruki is on, the path that Goro himself has spent the last few years traversing, blinded by rage; sickened by regrets; buried by grief; and living to crush those who took from you. Getting your hands dirty when you must. Unfortunately it seems that Akira will once again fall victim to a psychopath with a god complex, and this time Goro is afraid that Akira won’t be able to worm his way out.

Goro knows that Maruki will sink as low as to use this weakness to manipulate Akira into staying. He knows that as soon as the inevitable words tumble from the doctor’s mouth it will be enough to make Akira second guess himself.

He works to suppress the thought that  _ he  _ is Akira’s weakness. After all, Maruki has all but implied that Akira is the whole reason Goro finds himself stepping into his boots and pulling on his warmest winter coat and scarf. He leaves the apartment quickly, his feet carrying him toward the train station and then on to Yongen-Jaya. 

The entire time, while on the train and walking to the cafe, Goro can’t ignore the fluttering feelings in his stomach, almost like popcorn popping in a pan. He chalks it up to anxiety as he rubs his stomach with the most minute motions, not wanting to bring attention to it as he moves quietly through the backstreets. 

By the time Goro gets to the little cafe, the lights are ablaze in the cafe, though the sign is flipped to “closed”. Maruki must already be here.    
  


Goro sighs and leans against the wall next to the door, catching his breath. Subconsciously his hands slip under his coat and find the solid bump under his sweater, rubbing it almost soothingly if not for the intense conversation he’s currently eavesdropping on.

“If you’ll just stay, you’ll never have to suffer the pain of loss, or the pain of having people and things stolen away from you.” Maruki’s voice filters through the windows. 

Goro can’t help rolling his eyes.  _ Sounds like a load of bullshit.  _

There’s a few beats of silence, thrumming along with the heavy beats of their own hearts, before Akira speaks up, his voice low, but steady. “What was stolen from you?” Goro has to strain his ears to hear, followed by an audible gasp—presumably from Maruki.

Maruki is startled, breaking his facade for just a brief moment before finding his words again. “So…” He begins, pushing his voice to match the low rumble of the thief’s own, steady tone, but Goro can hear the strain in his voice—he can hear the underlying hum of the suppressed emotions trying to call out. “You saw what happened with Rumi. I’m not the one who suffered—she is.” The man paused, taking a breath likely to help himself smile. “But she’s still living a wonderful life right now, in this world you call a ‘distorted reality.” He continues with a hint of false cheer trying to lighten the mood. It only contributes to the hollow feeling forming in the detective’s chest. 

“But she still doesn’t remember you, right? And you’re fine with that?” Morgana asks, reminding the brunet of his presence, his voice filled to the brim with sympathy and pity for the doctor.

“She may not be in my life anymore, but at least her own life's a happy one now. I’m not just doing this for Rumi—I want all of you to live just as happily as she is.” Akira’s silence is deafening as Maruki continues. “But for Rumi’s happiness to last, I have to move on. After all that’s happened to her—to me—I just can’t drag her into it.”

“Doc…” 

Goro tilts his head to peer into the window, hand stilling on his stomach as he first presses his ear to the glass. When that doesn’t satisfy his desire to hear more clearly, Goro sighs and succumbs to the urge to tug on the door handle ever so carefully. He’ll be pissed at himself if the door jingles even the slightest. 

He can see Akira in the glow of the cafe, sitting just under one of the overhead lamps that casts a halo over thick black curls. The thought of their spawn having those curls flashes through Goro’s mind, and he has to shake himself mentally as he gives the door handle an experimental tug. It’s unlocked, of course, and to his relief, the movement is so slight it doesn’t trigger the bells.

A rush of warm air hits Goro’s face, making him shiver in the cold February air, and he leans close to the door, his ear at the crack.

“My stance will not change,” Maruki states firmly. “This is something only I am capable of doing. I promise every person alive will be happy in the world I create. So, let me ask you the same: after really considering every option, do you have any doubts about your views?” 

“What are you getting at?” Akira questions, his eyes narrowing slightly. 

There is a brief pause. “I suppose it’s more accurate to ask, ‘Do you two gentlemen have any doubts?” Maruki inclines his head slightly toward the door. 

_ How did he..?  _ Goro frowns, scrunching his nose.

“You’re here, aren’t you, Akechi-kun?” The counselor raises his voice just enough to reach through the crack in the door. Damn doctor. Goro is willing to bet it’s his control on reality that makes him hyper aware of his surroundings. 

Well, he may as well go in. He  _ did  _ come here to keep Maruki from persuading Akira to accept his reality. Nothing will be solved by standing out here in the bitter cold like a moron.

Goro tugs the door open completely, burrowing his face into his scarf before stepping into the cafe. The smell of fresh coffee calms his frayed nerves for just a moment until he meets the pleasant gaze of Takuto Maruki. The irritation and anxiety spikes in his veins once more meeting Maruki’s eyes.

“Akechi…” Morgana’s small voice cuts through the vague nausea roiling in his stomach. 

Goro ignores Morgana as he gives Maruki the most plastic smile he can muster. “You caught me.” He shrugs, the smile on his lips while his eyes scream for murder.

“Oh, it was just a hunch.” Maruki’s words are as pleasant as his own smile, which makes Goro’s fingers itch to uppercut Maruki’s stupid stubbly chin. How obnoxious can one man be, even when he’s doing nothing? 

Maruki holds his gaze for a moment, the pleasant smile slipping into something more knowing and it makes Goro’s stomach knot. He clenches his hands into fists, hearing the creak of his leather gloves protesting the action. 

“This issue doesn’t only affect you, Kurusu-kun.” The counselor says lightly, motioning toward Goro before breaking their eye contact. “Akechi-kun, this involves you, too.” 

As he figured.

A flash of white-hot anger sits like acid on his tongue, especially when he sees the open confusion in Akira’s expression. How dare he? How dare Maruki sit there like he’s discussing the weather, when what he is doing is going to hurt Akira beyond measure. How fucking dare he. Maruki has no place in their business. He has NO fucking place in the well-being of their—

“Both Goro and me?” Akira asks, glancing between said boy and the counselor before settling his gaze completely on the brunet in concern, fueling Goro’s irritation further.

Morgana’s tail swishes uncomfortably. “What do these two have to do with—?”

“The relationship you two share is very unusual.” Maruki interrupts. “A detective and a phantom thief. Despite being enemies, your relationship isn’t based on hatred or ill will.” 

How dare Maruki sit there and pretend to know what he and Akira’s relationship is like? Maruki never had to stare down the barrel of a pistol and murder the first true friend he ever had. All to appease his deadbeat asshole of a sperm donor, a man that was unknowingly a few steps ahead of him the whole time, even planning Goro’s demise. Maruki wasn’t the one that found out that he was pregnant at 18 with the child of his only friend. Maruki never had to live the shattered childhood life that left Goro an empty, scarred husk. 

He thinks he knows what’s best for everyone, but in Goro’s opinion, he only fucked Akira and Goro’s life up even worse by bringing him back and revealing a life that they were never supposed to know about.

The counselor never had to deal with the fucking trauma in their lives, so how dare he sit there with that smarmy smile on his face and casually speak about the state of his relationship with Akira.

“That’s why I found it so tragic when I learned what happened in Shido’s palace.” Maruki continues. Goro tastes bile on the back of his tongue, and it’s all he can do to keep from launching himself at Maruki to end this here and now.

_ Don’t beat around the damn bush. Just fucking say it before I rip you to shreds. _

“Say Kurusu-kun, didn’t you regret how things ended with him?”

And there it is.

Goro hates the way awareness vaguely dawns on Akira’s face. He hates the way his own body tenses defensively. The hollow feeling in his chest throbs.

Maruki looks both of them in the eyes before his gaze flickers down to Goro’s middle, a knowing smile hovering on the corners of his lips. 

Goro wants to put a bloody dent in it.

“Think about the future you could have, Akechi-kun. One where you and Akira can live in peace. One where both of you can be happy, with your baby at the center of your world.” 

Akira’s face contorts ever so slightly, the calm stoicity that Goro has always admired flickering. He hates the way he can’t bring himself to be irritated about the momentary weakness. The hollow feeling in his chest seems to carve itself deeper when he allows himself for just a moment to envision what the doctor has described.

Akira and Goro, smiling at each other over dinner in a nameless place. Goro, holding a baby whose features are blurred and laughing about something. Akira, holding Goro close and kissing him, nothing but adoration in his eyes. 

He has to clench his jaw tight enough to give himself a headache if he doesn’t want to lose his lunch right here.

“That’s why I created a reality where you two could have a fresh start together.” 

A desperate sense of longing fills the hollow space in his chest, and it nearly bowls him over. He conceals it perfectly though, reaching for the perfectly-crafted mask he hates the most. “Pretty words to describe a world of manipulation and absolute control.” He sneers, his voice steady, but lethal. Mentally, he shoves the desperate emotion into the furnace he has carefully crafted in his mind, where every unwelcome emotion goes to die before they can wreak havoc on his life.

“So that would mean the Akechi in the real world is...” Morgana’s voice breaks the silence. The smallest spasm washes over Akira’s face, and rage replaces the rock in Goro’s stomach. Did Akira truly think this could ever be a happily-ever-after? People like them — like him — don’t get fairytale endings. 

Akira is typically stoic, a true poker face, but that quiet, solid nature breaks off in minute pieces, revealing the obvious despair underneath. For a moment Goro almost feels sorry for Akira. He’s obviously not been completely unaffected by Maruki’s power. 

The man in question folds his hands on the table primly, his own expression sad but resolute. “I genuinely didn’t want to tell you like this.” He says, words brittle as ice. “I didn’t want to make it seem like I’m holding him hostage.”

What a fucking liar. Goro can smell his bullshit from a mile away. 

“But no matter what you may think of me, I just want you all to accept this reality and move on with your happy lives.” 

Bullshit.

His tongue feels like syrup in his mouth, making it hard at first to form words. But Goro pushes forward, like he always does. “And that matters, how, exactly?” He says evenly. “Don’t tell me you think dangling my life before us is going to have any impact on our decision.”

Akira’s expression fractures a bit more, subtle enough for the good doctor to not notice, but Goro sees it immediately. “You figured that out?” he asks, voice steady, but Goro knows him well enough now that Akira’s self control and emotions are fraying, even though his voice and expression hide it.

“Well, I lacked conclusive evidence.” He replies, holding Akira’s gaze and watching as Akira falls apart internally. He keeps going, fighting against the rage building in the back of his throat. “But after I fought against you all, I had a gap in my memory that ended with meeting up with Akira again.” 

Maruki folds his hands primly on the tabletop, as if Goro was reciting a poem or talking about some juvenile dream he had last night. Damn him to hell. Goro forces himself to keep talking. The smile on his face feels more and more plastic the more he speaks.

“There were also the cases of Wakaba Isshiki and President Okumura. Of course I’d find all of that suspicious.” 

“I see.” The itch to punch Maruki grows stronger. “I had a feeling the truth of the matter still wouldn’t dissuade you, Akechi-kun. But how about you, Kurusu-kun?” 

Akira winces slightly when Maruki turns to look at him. He looks nauseated, green around the gills. The meager lighting over the table casts a sallow hue over Akira’s cheeks, making his eyes look sunken and hollow behind his glasses. 

Maruki apparently either doesn’t notice or he doesn’t care, because he’s flinging the ultimatum across the table without flinching. “‘You think dangling my life before us is going to affect our decision?’ That's what Akechi-kun said a moment ago.” 

A pause. Intentional, Goro thinks,

“If that’s how you see it at this point, I’m fine with it, but I’m still going to ask you, one last time: Will you accept the reality I create for you?” 

Akira is silent, which makes a cold, sickening feeling coil in Goro’s throat. He momentarily debates how humiliating it would be to have to run to the bathroom and vomit in the midst of this miserable conversation.

“You were the guiding light to my research. You showed me the way so I could make my dream into reality.” Maruki’s words are soothing, as if speaking to a child. Which, Goro realizes, isn’t quite off the mark. He and Akira are still very much children, despite everything they have had to go through and how fast they had to grow up in order to handle their circumstances.

The thought makes Goro even angrier. How dare Dr. Maruki propose something like this to kids? How dare he make them make a decision that a normal adult would struggle to deal with?

“I have nothing but gratitude for you—not a single ounce of ill will. That’s why I wanted you of all people to understand. But, perhaps I shouldn’t ask you for an answer on the spot like that.” Maruki stands up after draining his coffee cup. “I’ll be going now.” 

Goro sees Akira’s jaw twitch, and then— “You forgot something.” He flings the calling card across the table.

“Ah, that’s right.” Maruki looks momentarily sad, but Goro doesn't care.

“I’ve heard your calling. And about my question—let’s do this…” The brunet teacher ponders for a moment, tapping his fingers on the tabletop. “I’ll be waiting in the palace tomorrow, just as I promised. If you still haven’t changed your mind by then, we’ll meet there.”

Christ, this guy just will not stop fucking talking.

“But if you don’t show, I’ll take that to mean you’ve accepted my reality.” Maruki smiles saccharinely before waving at them both. “See you.” 

When the jangle of the cafe door subsides, Goro releases a deep breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. He turns to Akira in time to see Morgana jumping up onto the table and pawing at Akira’s sleeve

“What are you gonna do?” He asks hesitantly. Akira’s expression lapses, misery making the corners of his mouth sag. Goro can’t stand the cat peppering them with frivolous questions, so he steps closer to the table.

“I’d like to speak with Akira. Alone.” He says firmly. Morgana looks up at him, and there is no revulsion in his expression. It’s more than Goro deserves. 

“Akechi—” The cat starts, but then shakes his head. “Gotcha.” 

He jumps down off the table, and Goro moves to let him out of the cafe. Morgana pauses on the threshold to glance back at his friend and leader. “I’ll leave the decision up to you, Akira. Let me know when you’ve reached an answer.”

Followed by the chime of the bell there’s a pregnant pause, pun very much intended, as the ringing fades. “I will carve my own path for myself,” Goro starts in an equally parts rough and smooth voice, forcing himself to continue looking Akira in the eyes despite his own emotions threatening to spill out of his maroon ones, “I refuse to accept a reality concocted by someone else, stuck under their control for the rest of my days.”

“Are you sure?” Akira asks weakly, voice barely above a whisper.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Goro asks with a sharp threatening edge to his voice. “Don’t ask such stupid questions. All you have to do is stick to your guns and challenge Maruki.” He smiles sharply, almost baring his teeth like a wild animal.

“But…Goro you are—“ Akira visibly gulps. He motions towards Goro’s stomach. “What about the baby?” 

“Oh, I see, you’re telling me that my only value is the little sperm whore?” Goro laughs airily, “Typical, Kurusu. I’m not surprised though. Let’s just stop dancing around the elephant in the damn room and speak like adults.”

“Goro, listen to me. It’s not just about the baby. I—“

“Oh, so that’s it? Are you really so spineless that you’d fold over some bullshit, trivial threat on my life?”

“Goro, for fuck’s sake, this isn’t trivial!” 

A sneer builds itself on Goro’s lips, but it freezes when he looks up and sees the look of absolute desperation in Akira’s eyes. 

There is something in those eyes that makes Goro recoil, not out of anger, but of fear. His chest throbs, heat flaring on his cheeks. 

“Goro, please. Listen to me for one minute. Please.” Akira’s voice cracks. 

Panic bursts in his veins, and Goro backs away into the bar. He feels like he’s drowning in _ whatever  _ emotion it is that Akira’s expression is inciting within him. He grits his teeth. “Do you think I’d be happy with this?” He snarls. “I don’t deserve pity, or a second chance, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Akira’s expression doesn’t change. The raven-haired boy shifts slightly in the booth seat, and Goro tenses, muscles coiled and ready to sprint, though he doesn’t know why.

“You would go against my wishes to live a life of denial?” He asks, voice cracking just a bit at the end.

Akira seems to wither before him, expression shattering as he leans against the dining table. “No. But—“

“But  _ what _ , Kurusu?” 

Akira winces at the sneer curled around his surname, the feeling in his chest shriveling slightly. “Why can’t you think about my wishes, too?” He responds brokenly.

“Who are you to decide the fate of the world?” Goro snaps. 

“Who are you to ignore the fact that I—“ Akira seems to choke on his words for a moment before huffing and looking Goro in the eyes. “When will you realize that your feelings aren’t the only ones at stake here? When will you realize that I don’t want to live in a world that you aren’t a part of?” 

A roaring sound fills Goro’s ears, and he wonders if he heard Akira correctly. He gapes at the other boy, the strange feeling coiling in his chest shuddering against the truth. 

Akira doesn’t wait for Goro’s answer. He reaches out and pulls Goro back toward the booth, his hands loose shackles around Goro’s wrists. “Why can’t you see what you’re doing to me?” 

“Akira, you don’t mean those things.” Goro’s voice wavers. “You barely know me. I  _ killed you.”  _

“You know that Maruki was right, about our strange relationship.” Akira says softly, staring up into Goro’s wide eyes. “You’re the one person I never have had to hide things from. You know me, the real me, better than probably anyone else in the world. And I like to think I know the real you too.”

Goro is rooted to the floor where he stands, shriveled heart thundering in his chest. “Akira, what are you saying?” He hates how his voice seems to grow smaller and smaller. 

“I think you know, Goro.” Akira whispers, reaching up to cup Goro’s face in his hands. “Why do you insist on running from the truth?”

The brunet can’t find the words for a proper response, and when Akira pulls him down into a slow, but desperate, kiss, all cohesive thought dies on his tongue. 

The same desire from earlier surges through Goro again. The visions of a life spent with Akira and their baby. Akira holding him and looking at him like he’s the sun and moon. 

_ Maybe this reality wasn’t made just for Akira alone. Maybe Maruki knew what I wished for, too.  _ The thought startles him enough to where he pulls away slightly, internally balking against it. He thought that he’d destroyed every iota of desire he held for Akira Kurusu on the night he walked into that interrogation room. 

But maybe that isn’t true.

That’s the last thing he thinks before he leans in and kisses Akira again, gloved hands moving to slide into Akira’s hair as they slot their lips together almost in tandem.

Warmth moves like starbursts through his body, and Goro can’t help the feeling of  _ rightness  _ about this moment. Akira’s lips are warm against his, Akira’s hands are cradling him so gently Goro feels he could shatter at the slightest breath. He shivers against those warm lips, and Akira immediately parts them, inviting Goro to deepen the kiss of his own volition. 

Time seems to have slowed in the little bubble they’ve created for themselves, the entire world shrinking down to Goro and Akira, and the scant spaces between their bodies. 

Akira shifts, pulling Goro into his lap awkwardly as much as the booth will allow them. Goro feels the swell of his stomach between them as they deepen the kiss further, Akira’s tongue sliding past his teeth and licking up into his mouth, inciting sparks of flame through Goro’s veins. 

This feels so much like that night after their duel in Mementos, and yet it feels so different. That night was fueled by adrenaline and sheer lust. This? Goro doesn’t know what to call the longing in his chest and the desperate need to pull Akira closer now. 

His stomach presses against Akira’s abdomen, and he feels Akira’s hands leave his face to slide under his coat, fingers gentle over the taut bump under the fabric of his sweater. Goro shivers, desire sparking under his fingertips. 

His head feels empty of everything but Akira, and without meaning to, he moans softly into Akira’s mouth. Akira’s hands smooth over his stomach before pulling them out to undo Goro’s coat and scarf, the garments slipping off of Goro’s shoulders and placed on the table. 

The brunet can’t resist rolling his hips down against Akira’s lap breathlessly, gasping when Akira’s hands find their way under his sweater again to slide his palms over Goro’s swollen stomach. They pull apart, a string of saliva connecting their lips before it breaks, and Goro pants as Akira looks up at him, desperation and desire in his blown-out eyes. 

Goro can feel Akira responding to the abortive rolling of his hips, and the knowledge drives him nearly insane as a rush of endorphins lights his body up like a Christmas tree. He can feel his own body responding, boxers becoming slick as he grinds down breathlessly. 

Akira leans up and crushes their lips together again, biting down on Goro’s lower lip and  _ tugging _ , and Goro keens at the feeling. His toes curl in his boots as he pulls away to lean his head back, giving Akira permission to mark the cleft of his jaw and delighting when Akira accepts. 

“No matter what happens, you’re mine.” Akira all but growls into Goro’s ear before nipping at the skin just underneath. Goro whimpers embarrassingly, fingers tangled in Akira’s curls. He feels Akira smooth one hand over his stomach again while the other moves to cup his ass over his pants. “ _ I _ put that baby inside you. I claimed you first. You’re  _ mine.”  _

More slick fluid rushes out to stain Goro’s boxers, and he grinds down against the hard bulge in Akira’s pants. He never knew Akira could be so possessive, and he fucking  _ loves _ it. “Hn—! _ Fuck _ .” Goro whispers raggedly, leaning down to messily kiss Akira again.  _ “Fuck,  _ Akira—!”

Vaguely he’s aware of Akira undoing his pants, slipping one hand down to slide tantalizingly against the wet spot in Goro’s boxers. Sharp sparks of desire cause Goro to keen, and he kisses Akira again. “Please.” He moans. “Please.”

Akira understands and nods against Goro’s lips, and he hears Akira undo his own pants, opening the fly and tugging himself out—

Goro wants to fall into this feeling, drown in this unfamiliar but thrilling emotion. He wants to tell Akira he’s changed his mind, that he will agree to Maruki’s terms, so they can be together like this forever—

As soon as he thinks those words, Goro comes up for air gasping, ice replacing the warmth in his chest. 

He can’t do this.

Goro pulls away from Akira, pushing himself off of Akira’s lap breathlessly as he struggles to regain his dignity and sense of self, buttoning his pants back up shakily, his knees weak.

“We can’t do this.” He rasps, hating himself as he watches the light die in Akira’s eyes. “Akira, we can’t—I can’t—“ 

“Goro, wait!” Akira pushes himself out of the booth seat, pants still open. But Goro steps back toward the door, feeling like a cornered cat. “Goro, let’s talk about this—“

“We’re stopping Maruki.” Goro interrupts him, voice ragged. He wants to go back to Akira so badly, finish what they started, but they  _ can’t.  _

The air seems to punch itself out of Akira’s chest, and his expression withers painfully. It makes Goro feel like he’s shot Akira at gunpoint all over again, and he scrambles toward the door, wanting to get away from this scene. He needs to leave before Akira can bewitch and beguile him yet again.

Perhaps that thought is why he spits out the words: “I will never accept this form of reality. I’m done being manipulated.” 

Akira winces as though he’s been slapped, but he still tries to cross the space between them, tries to lure Goro back into his web of dreams and desires and happy endings. Goro can’t afford to give in, as much as he wants to.

“Goodbye, Akira. I will see you tomorrow. In the palace.” And Goro Akechi shoves open the cafe door, freezing cold air blasting him in the face and making the stain in his pants all the more agonizing, and hurries through the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya, away from the boy he cares for far more than he should.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you guys enjoyed this shit show!!
> 
> I actually had half of this done for over a month but life decided to be an ass. I will be back soon with chapter 11 I am hoping that I will have more time this month to write it.
> 
> WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS IS A SERIES AND THIS PART IS JUST A FEW CHAPTERS AWAY FROM BEING COMPLETED BEFORE I START THE NEXT PART. FOR MORE INFO FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.
> 
> [Twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/trivialpotato22)
> 
> I’m active on twitter for this au and the more people that show interest the more likely I will be to share sneak peeks and stuff. There is a picture pinned to my profile of the baby that you will see so if you don’t want spoilers or are really excited to see what they look like it’s there along with a bunch of other content for this series.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Safe room “fun”;)
> 
> February 3rd (15 weeks)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait everyone! This chapter was so long we actually ended up deciding to split it in half so hopefully the next part will be out faster. 
> 
> GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO MY PARTER IN CRIME [stellargay](https://linktr.ee/stellargay)
> 
> She worked really hard to help me make this chapter!! It wouldn’t be anywhere near as good without her:)
> 
> Anyways two more chapters left after this! Keep in mind that this is a series and I recommend either bookmarking if you are interested or checking out my [Twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/trivialpotato22) for updates on the series (and potentially viewing clips pre release).

“You sure you’re okay, Akira?” 

Jolted from his despondent musings, Akira looks up to see Futaba a few feet ahead of him, hands behind her back as she gazes up at him. Futaba’s sharp eyes miss nothing. 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Akira forces some pep into his voice. “Just anxious about facing Maruki, you know? He was our school counselor after all. And...a friend in a lot of ways.”

Futaba slows to walk beside Akira, slipping her arm around his, gently bumping the Mona bag, as they head together toward the train station. 

The group had decided the night before to simply meet up at the Palace entrance in Odaiba. Akira hadn’t contributed much to the conversation, and Goro hadn’t spoken at all. His stomach had roiled and twisted all night long, sleep evading him as he thought about the implications of Maruki’s words, as well as what had happened afterwards.

“It is much more personal this time, huh?” Futaba asks somberly, her breath clouding the frigid February air.

“Yes,” Akira inhales, piercing his lungs with icicles of frosty air, crunching snow underneath his feet. “I have never felt this way before, Futaba. I have been here since day one. I have had a place in stealing the hearts of each of our targets. But only once have I ever been a victim in the same way that you all have.” 

Futaba says nothing, and Akira continues. “I mean, Kamoshida had my records leaked and he tried to get me expelled. I hate him, sure, but all the wounds he left me with had only been scrapes. I hadn’t been torn down to the bone like Ann and Ryuji had been.” 

Akira breathes in the icy cold air deeply again, wincing at how it stings his lungs. “Shido fucked up my life. I lost so much because of him. And yet, it’s not what he’d done to me that drove my hatred for him. It’s what I know that he’d done to others. What he has done to G—Akechi. I cared more about stopping Shido for the sake of others rather than my own revenge.”

They’re approaching the train station, and Akira puffs out a breath before choosing to continue before they reach the turnstiles.

“With Maruki though, he’s been one of the few adults that I have been able to rely on. We have all gone to him and trusted him as a reliable adult in our lives, only to find out he hasn’t been honest with us. That he manipulated Sumire’s mind for the better part of a year out of his delusional dream for a reality without pain. He has no regret over what he did to her. He took her identity away and he tried to take all of ours as well. We trusted Maruki with very personal information and look what he did with it. He manipulated our desires and what we lost for his agenda. He’s dangling things we want and things we have lost in front of us. But they aren’t real...this isn’t what we formed the Phantom Thieves for.” His voice cracks, recalling the night before. “But I’m stuck choosing between this happy ideal reality or moving on and enjoying the future we made for ourselves.”

“A lot of things about this reality sucks sometimes. I miss my mom a lot, and being given a look at a different reality didn’t change that. But,” Futaba shrugs her jacket further up onto her shoulders against the February chill. “Then I start to think about all of the good things that have happened. I got to live with Sojiro. I got to meet all of you and gain my Persona.”

A puff of air escapes Futaba’s lips and swirls into the sharply cold breeze that follows them into the train station. The mass of humanity usually flocking the station hasn’t changed in Maruki’s reality, but the atmosphere is much stranger. Everyone is unnaturally happy, even as they are all crammed onto the train departing Yongen-Jaya. Futaba steps closer to Akira, and Akira willingly wraps one arm around the girl he’s come to view as his little sister. 

“I got to meet you too, my Key Item.” She says with a grin, picking up where she left off before they boarded the train. “You saved my life. You didn’t give up on me. No other reality could measure up to that. I miss mom, and I always will, but if there is anything I’ve learned in the past month it’s that looking back into the past only slows down your steps into the future. And I don’t know about you, but I’d rather march into the future like Red Hawk than keep looking over my shoulder for Grey Pigeon to catch up.” Her eyes spell mischief, and she hugs Akira close as Morgana shifts in Akira’s bag. 

“She’s right, Akira.” The black and white cat preens, smoothing one paw over his ear. “It might suck sometimes, but we can’t stay stuck in the past, wishing for stuff that just isn’t possible. We gotta look forward to the future, no matter what.”

A lump lodges itself into Akira’s throat, and he tilts his head down into his scarf to keep himself from tearing up. It’s easy to say stuff like that, but following through is the hardest thing he’s ever done.

_ ‘Goro, it’s either to defy your demands or accept your death. I don’t know how to choose. I wish I didn’t have to.’  _ Akira thinks, burrowing his face further into his scarf and letting the light glint off his glasses so Futaba can’t see the pain etched in his eyes.

_ Fuck. _

* * *

Once they all meet in front of the Palace entrance, the group heads inside with no fanfare or grand speeches. Akira grits his teeth and does what needs to be done, though he rips the masks off of Shadows with far more recklessness than usual, driving the group harder the deeper they go into the depths of the Palace.

They reach a safe room near where they established a rendezvous point to access the Treasure, and the group heads inside wearily. 

Immediately, Akira hands out Thermoses of coffee and some food, replenishing everyone’s stamina as an apology. He gets a sour look from Ann and Ryuji as he hands them some yakisoba. “Mind explaining why we didn’t stop to rest until now, Leader?” Ryuji gripes, spooning some noodles savagely into his mouth. “We’re supposed to be conserving our energy and magic, and you drove us like fucking work horses instead.” 

Akira glances over at Goro, who has remained part of the backup group as planned. He refused to give Goro coffee, even though there is basically no point in coddling the fact that he’s pregnant anymore. In an hour or so, Maruki will be defeated and Goro will cease to exist. Instead, Goro is dutifully sipping a water bottle Akira got from the vending machine in front of the bath house. 

A pang shoots through Akira’s chest. He’d urged the group recklessly through the Palace to avoid thinking about what’s coming. Here in the safe room, with everyone patching themselves up and restoring their energies, Akira can do nothing but think. He collapses into a single chair nearby, head in his hands as he takes off his mask and sighs deeply. 

“Yo, Joker, you okay?” Ryuji asks, glancing at Akira from over his bowl. 

“Yes. Just tired. I’ll eat something in a minute.” 

Another glance at Goro, whose clawed gauntlet is clenched on his lap while he drains the water bottle. Goro hasn’t looked at him once since they met up, and it claws at Akira’s chest, especially recalling last night.

A wave of unease, mingled with the vaguest sense of nausea, makes him merely reach for a pack of crackers that don’t do much in the way of replenishing stamina. He stops crunching on them about midway through the bag, staring down at the packaging and realizing that it’s one of the snacks that Maruki himself gave to Akira during one of the last meetings they had in the nurse’s office. He winces, slowly putting the snack down and wishing that he could just leave and go back to Leblanc, crawling into bed and hiding under the covers for about ten years. 

He wishes again that he could accept Maruki’s deal with a clean conscience. It would be so much easier.

After several minutes of watching the others finish up their food and drinks, Akira hesitantly asks them to leave him and Goro alone for a few minutes. Goro’s head snaps up toward him, glaring so hard Akira feels like he should combust.

The thieves all glance at each other, but quickly acquiesce to Akira’s request. Once the door shuts behind Yusuke’s tail, Akira sighs heavily before sitting in a chair across the table from Goro. The brunet slowly undoes his helmet from the stiff neckpiece, lifting it off of his head and shaking out his tousled hair. Akira’s heart sinks at the expression on Goro’s face.

This is the first time they have been alone since last night, and the memory of how heated things had gotten makes residual heat flash through Akira’s veins before recalling how the night ended. He hadn’t slept very well at all, caught between the pain of rejection and the knowledge of Goro’s imminent demise flaying him open, leaving his chest feeling raw and bleeding.

Akira can say none of these things, though. So he simply sighs, relishing the silence of the room even though his heart is thundering in his chest, making him feel dizzy and shaky.

“You’re only delaying the inevitable, Akira.” Goro scowls. “We have a job to do.”

“Forget it…” Akira mumbles, staring downcast across the table.

“Excuse me?” 

“Forget Maruki, forget reality, forget everything for just one moment!” Akira slams his hands on the table and abruptly stands, accidentally knocking his chair to the ground in his haste. “Listen to me, Goro.  _ Our  _ baby is about to die. You are about to die. I’m respecting your wishes and I intend to carry through but it sucks! It just sucks that I’m about to lose you. That we are about to lose the baby. I don’t know how I am going to go back to normal. I don’t know if I can. Because when I get back to the true reality I will be returning with the knowledge of what I almost had. What I would have never known about if the past month didn’t happen. It sucks, Goro. It really sucks. Especially since I think—“ Akira trails off hopelessly, his heart beating the words  _ I’m falling in love. _

“There’s no time for this bullshit.” Goro says, voice dripping venom. But Akira catches the way his hand drifts towards his stomach. “You never had us. We were already over a month gone when I made the mistake of telling you. We made a deal Akira, and I expect you to follow through on your end.”

“Just shut up for a minute.” Akira’s words are sharp, but his tone is not. “Forget our deal for one second, and let me just have this before I lose you again.”

Goro stiffens and he lifts his eyes from his slightly-rounded stomach to look Akira in the eyes. “Akira—“

“I said shut up!” He really tries to sound harsh and demanding, but Akira’s voice cracks, giving him away immediately. “God, just take your head out of your ass for five seconds and let me have this!”

“Don’t tell me to shut up, Kurusu.” The suddenly murderous expression on Goro’s face makes the raw edges of the hole in Akira’s chest flare hotter, fire burning and searing until Akira feels he might scream. He’s frozen in place as Goro jumps to his feet, reaching across the table to grab Akira by the collar of his tailcoat so he can sneer in his face. “I’m not yours to have. I’ve never been yours. When will you fucking realize that there is no ‘us’ and there never will be?”

Akira has to bite back a pained noise in the back of his throat. He stares up at Goro, chest throbbing and burning as Goro fans the flames ever hotter. “Why can’t you see what you’re doing to me?” He says brokenly, a vivid repeat of the words he spoke the night before. “Do you actually hate me that much, Goro?” 

* * *

_ Hate _ . What a stupid fucking word. Hate doesn’t begin to describe the simmering fire under Goro’s skin. He can feel each word Akira says snagging like fish hooks, and he grits his teeth to keep himself from buckling under the sting. If he doesn’t cut this off at the root now, Akira will just reel him in, the way he’s always done. 

If it weren’t for Akira, his life would be so fucking different now. But no, this stupidly charming piece of shit wormed his way under his skin from the very start, drawing Goro into his orbit as if Akira were the goddamn sun and Goro a helpless planet. Even now, the pull is magnetic, and Goro snarls internally as he tries to rip himself away from it.    
  
“I swear to God, if I have to fucking kill you here and now in order to escape your sniveling, I will fucking do it. Don’t fucking test me, Kurusu. Don’t try to pull the pity card. Don’t try to guilt me, because it’s not going to fucking work. I thought you were smarter than this.” Without thinking, Goro shoves Akira back, and Akira stumbles backward and falls to the floor, banging his shoulder painfully against his toppled chair. 

“Some rival you turned out to be. You went soft the minute I made the mistake of telling you about the fucking leech you put inside me. Even if I wasn’t a walking corpse waiting to happen, I don’t want this baby. I never did. So put that through your brain and figure out quickly that I’m not ever going to be who you think you want me to be. I’m not a good parent waiting to happen. I’m not a meek domestic housewife looking to settle down. I  _ don’t want this. _ ” 

Goro breaks off, posture taut and shaking with rage as he catches his breath. The silence between them stretches into agonizing seconds, and Goro huffs as he reaches for his helmet, already feeling bile rise in his throat as he sees Akira sprawled on the floor, misery etched all over his pretty face. It’s a terrible look for someone so blessedly handsome, and Goro is dismayed at the emotion that rises up upon seeing what he’s done. But he can’t stop. He has to sever this flimsy bond before it ruins everything. “We are done here,  _ Joker _ . Pull  _ your _ head out of  _ your  _ ass and realize that I’m never going to accept this. I don’t want this reality. I don’t want this baby. I don’t want  _ you. _ Let’s fucking  _ go. _ ” 

He turns toward the door, helmet in his hands, but stops dead when Akira’s voice breaks and meekly says “I’m sorry.” 

His skin prickles with discomfort, the magnetic pull of Akira’s presence still trying to drag him backwards. When he turns back around, Akira is sitting on the floor, both arms wrapped around his chest as if he’s trying to hold himself together. His fringe covers his face from Goro’s view, and he swallows, knowing if Akira looked up at him right now, Goro would probably see tears in his eyes. 

Goro can’t handle tears. 

Akira sits there for a moment before drawing his knees to his chest and breathing out slowly. “I’m sorry, Goro. I’m sorry for everything. I can’t take back what we did but I can’t really bring myself to regret it. And I’m sorry for being that selfish.”

The brunet opens his mouth to speak, but thinks better of it. His chest tightens with a swirl of emotions Goro had thought he’d forgotten how to feel. He’s very familiar with a few of them: anger, impatience, stubbornness. But a few catch him off guard: despair, longing, hesitance. 

Not for the first time, he privately wonders if he can allow Akira to refuse Maruki’s deal. He can’t walk away from his ideals, of course, but he wonders briefly what it would be like to have that promised future with Akira. One where they are together, happy and in love.

_ Love… _

Goro feels a wave of despair at the word. How could Akira ever love him? He’s defiled, filthy, a black stain on the canvas of Akira’s life. But Sakamoto’s words from days ago come clanging back into his skull like deafening bells. 

_ “You know if anything happened to you, it would hurt Akira a lot, right? ...You didn’t see what he was like after — after all that shit that went down. In Shido’s palace. He wouldn’t look any of us in the eyes for days. He barely spoke. It was as if he was on autopilot. But...I caught him crying once, up in the attic. He was holding onto your glove.” _

Goro feels more despair flood his chest at the memory of those words, especially when Akira finally lifts his head to gaze up at him. 

_ “Akira cares about you way more than he lets on, Akechi.” _

That’s saying something, considering the emotions swirling in Akira’s storm cloud eyes right at this moment. There is undeniable sadness in those eyes. Goro can’t bear to look at them for more than a second, feeling the guilt of letting Akira down weighing on his shoulders.

But isn’t that how it’s always been?

Goro is the textbook definition of a walking disappointment, after all.

He has to grit his teeth to completely stifle the pathetic sob that traps itself in his throat.

Akira’s eyes grow sadder at the telling noise Goro can’t quite stop, and Goro wants to scream that he’s not worth it. Akira has always deserved better than him. Akira has a bright future ahead of him, without Goro and the spawn to ravage and burn it to the ground. 

He swallows back the emotion that continues to threaten to break loose, and leans down wordlessly to reach out his hand to Akira to help him up. Unfortunately, the center of gravity that Goro’s midsection now dominates keeps him from being able to pull Akira up on his own. His limbs feel like jelly, his entire being exhausted and unable to fight against the power that Akira still has over him. He sinks to the floor across from Akira and puts his face in his hands, unable to apologize and unwilling to cry.    
  
He’s startled when he feels gentle hands on the visible bump under Goro’s outfit. 

“You know I would have stayed with you.” Akira murmurs. “I wouldn’t have been a deadbeat like Shido. I would have stayed and helped you raise the baby.”

Goro swallows thickly, feeling a headache on its way from how tightly he is gritting his teeth. “It’s pointless to think such things now.” He manages to say, words venomous but voice shaking. “I told you, I won’t have my destiny controlled by someone else, be it Maruki, or Shido, or—“ Deep breath. Put the nail in the coffin. “Or by you.”

Akira winces. It takes him several obvious seconds to pull himself together before his brow furrows and he looks at Goro again. “I know.” He says simply. “I don’t blame you.”

God, when will Akira give up the fucking martyr act? Goro hates how Akira gives and gives and gives, even at the cost of his own life or happiness. It’s just one more reason to hate him. But Goro knows that last part isn’t true. 

That fucking cat was right when he said Goro didn’t really hate Akira. No matter how much Goro tries to deny it, tries to pull himself out of Akira’s orbit, the end result is the same. He can’t hate Akira. He doesn’t know how to. 

Goro has spent his whole life following the anger and hatred in his soul. He always felt like he knew nothing else. But this feeling he has with Akira is beyond him. He has no idea how to describe it. And that is just making this all the more harder to bear. He thinks back on the last thing Sakamoto told him, and feels the words wrap around him like a weighted blanket. 

Akira cares about him. 

Goro can’t remember the last time someone cared about him. Truly, actually cared about him. But Akira’s words just now prove what Goro has been fighting against all this time. And it terrifies him. 

He doesn’t know how to be a normal person. He doesn’t know how to give Akira what he needs and deserves.

For the first time in a long time, Goro feels completely helpless, sitting on the floor in the Palace of a self-righteous madman and leaning into the touch of the boy who has wormed his way past every single one of Goro’s walls. He feels small. He feels scared. He wants nothing more than to lean into Akira’s embrace and let every bit of stress melt away just by enjoying a warm hug from a person who doesn’t hate him. 

He’s about to relax into Akira’s hands when he feels a fluttering sensation in his stomach, a sensation he can only describe as the ripples of a tiny fish swimming through water. He jolts, a hand going to his stomach as he inhales sharply. The feeling wasn’t unpleasant. It happens again and he covers his face with his hand to rein in the unintelligible emotion he feels right now.    
  
“Goro? What is it?” Of course Akira noticed. Goro coughs slightly, a flush coming to his cheeks and ears as he mutters “It’s moving. The spawn. I can feel it moving.” 

Maybe he shouldn’t have told Akira though, because Akira immediately scoots closer into Goro’s space and presses both hands to Goro’s stomach excitedly. The little flutters ripple out again and he rubs his stomach, fighting a smile. 

Akira looks disappointed, almost pouting as he presses his hands harder against Goro’s stomach. “I can’t feel anything.” He says after a few moments of hearing Goro inhale sharply with each movement.    
  
“It must not be big enough for you to feel yet.” Goro replies. To his surprise, Akira’s expression uplifts, a smile as bright as the sun growing on his face. Then comes the unexpected tears that form in Akira’s eyes before he reaches over to hug Goro tightly. 

Warmth spools out from where Akira is touching him to light little fires across Goro’s skin. Without intending to, he leans into the embrace eagerly, relaxing into Akira’s arms as if he’d turned boneless. A hug. It’s so simple, but to Goro, it feels like a gift. It feels even better than when Akira held him while they fucked. 

He wishes he could stay like this for the rest of his life.    
  
“I wish we could have met a few years ago, before all of this started.” He finds himself saying softly, feeling Akira’s warm breath against his neck. “Things might have turned out so much different.” 

Akira hums against his neck, and Goro closes his eyes against the tidal wave of emotion that washes over him. He’ll just blame it on the spawn.

They’re on their feet a few minutes later, and Goro is struck by how hollow he feels, like Akira’s touch filled up the broken pieces inside of him that he didn’t even realize were there. But they have a job to do. The decision has been made, and they have no choice but to go through with it. 

Goro wishes things could be different.   
  


When Akira hands his helmet to him, Goro is struck by the look in Akira’s eyes. It fills him with warmth, cloying and addictive. The magnetic pull is stronger than ever. But then Akira is leaning in, his breath fanning across Goro’s face, and Goro realizes that they’re about to slip back into the rut they’ve dug for themselves. He steps back, away from Akira, and swallows as he looks away. Akira’s eyes open, and he clears his throat and reaches for his own mask to hide the blush that rises on his cheeks.    
  
“Let’s go. We have a job to do.” 

“Right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!
> 
> Spawn is starting to bubble around in her fish bowl....poor baby doesn’t know what’s coming:’(
> 
> ONCE AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT
> 
> Check out my [Twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/trivialpotato22) for updates or just if you want to ensure I am still around and working on this au. The twitter I linked is specifically for baby au purposes and I can’t stress enough how important it is now that we are about to finish up Walking out of time and will be switching to the second part.

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like this is very very important for me to note that the reason I have started writing this story is because I have come across this prompt before and it has had me hooked since. I’m writing this because I’ve been taught that if you want something to be down(in this cause again) that sometimes you have to bring the content yourself. 
> 
> I’ll do my very best to get another update out soon if this catches as interest.
> 
> For now I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> (Oh god there’s so many ideas I have for the next chapter and I can already tell you I’m stuck....Leave comments and let me know what you want to see happen, what you think should happen, or whatever! I’m open to criticism as well of course too.)


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